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22 Jul 2004 : Column 634W—continued
Major Incident Plans
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of National Health Service trusts meet (a) all, (b) at least six and (c) four or fewer of the eight criteria against which their major incident plans and preparedness have been assessed. [177255]
Mr. Hutton: In response to a specific survey of National Health Service major incident planning conducted by the Department last year, all strategic health authorities confirmed that, when judged against the eight criteria, all NHS trusts in their area had met these eight criteria and could be assessed as being at least "prepared" to respond to major incidents.
Market Research
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on (a) opinion polling and (b) focus groups in each year since 2001. [185868]
Ms Rosie Winterton: A list of the Department's expenditure incurred on opinion polls and focus groups in each year since 2001 can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Medical Trainees (Electives)
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2004, Official Report, column 613W, on medical trainees (electives), what the total cost in England was of sending undergraduate medical students on electives in 2003–04; and if he will make a statement. [184207]
Mr. Hutton: There is no cost to the national health service where undergraduate medical students decide to go abroad to gain experience as part of their training.
Individual university medical schools determine their own undergraduate medical curriculum in the light of recommendations from the General Medical Council's education committee, which has the statutory responsibility to determine the extent, knowledge and skill required for the granting of primary medical
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qualifications in the United Kingdom. We welcome any educational experience that adds to a student's knowledge of medicine and broadens his or her experience of, and perspective on, healthcare systems at home and overseas.
Midwifery
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he proposes to take in response to the Independent Midwives Association's proposed model for midwifery, The NHS Community Midwifery Model. [182978]
Dr. Ladyman: I met with representatives of the Independent Midwives Association on 6 May to discuss their proposed model. At the meeting, they agreed to provide me with further information on the acceptability of the model for midwives and users of the maternity service. This is awaited.
In the meantime, the model is being considered as part of the on-going work looking at midwifery recruitment and retention.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research into myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome his Department (a) is conducting and (b) has commissioned since 1997. [184515]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The main agency through which the Government support medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body, funded by the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Technology.
The MRC is currently funding two complementary trials into various treatments options for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) that aim to improve quality of life for those who are ill. The Department is meeting part of the cost of the trials. Patient recruitment will start later this year.
The first trial is known as pacing, activity and cognitive behaviour therapy: a randomised evaluation (PACE). PACE will be led by Dr. Peter White at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London, Dr. Michael Sharpe of the University of Edinburgh and Dr. Trudie Chalder of King's College London.
The second trial, known as fatigue intervention by nurses evaluation (FINE), will test two different treatments that are particularly suited to those who are too ill to attend a specialist clinic. FINE will be headed by Dr. Alison Wearden at the University of Manchester.
The MRC also funded a research project: "The role of Noradrenaline in the Neuropsychological Pathogenesis of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome", which was completed in 1998.
The Department has separately over the last seven years commissioned a number of small scale research projects related to aspects of CFS/ME and, through the national health service research and development programme, is funding: "Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Randomised Controlled Trial of an Out-patient Group Programme."
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NHS E-mail
Mr. Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of reaching a settlement with EDS in respect of the cancelled contract for NHS e-mail and directory services. [185067]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 19 July 2004]: The National Health Service Information Authority (NHSIA) has reached a settlement with Electronic Data Services Corporation (EDS), following mediation, without admission of liability on either side. The terms provide for the payment by the NHSIA of outstanding invoices. They further provide that should EDS make redundancies as a consequence of the change of service provider, the NHSIA will indemnify the actual costs incurred. The NHSIA will also make payments in respect of costs relating to the conclusion of the project. Further details of the settlement are covered by a legally-binding confidentiality agreement.
The exact costs are not yet known, but will be clarified when the contract ends in October.
NHS Staff
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) clinical and (b) non-clinical staff are employed by the national health service; and what plans he has to change the numbers. [184043]
Mr. Hutton: Information on the number of clinical and non-clinical staff employed by the national health service is shown in the table.
The Government expects that, within the clinical staff group, over a 2001 baseline, there will be increases of 15,000 general practitioners (GPs) and consultants, 35,000 nurses and midwives and 30,000 therapists and scientists by 2008. The nursing and midwifery forecast has already been achieved and significant progress has been made towards the others, as at September 2003, there were 35,978 more nurses and midwives, 5,231 more GPs and consultants and 11,825 more therapists and scientists than in September 2001.
| Headcount | |
|---|---|
| Total employed staff (HCHS) | 1,144,697 |
| Clinical staff (80) | 886,839 |
| Qualified clinical staff | 583,566 |
| Other clinical staff | 303,273 |
| Non-clinical staff (81) | 257,858 |
(80) Clinical staff consists of HCHS medical and dental staff (excluding locums), ambulance staff, nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff, scientific, therapeutic and technical staff and health care assistants and other support staff.
(81) Non-clinical staff consists of administration and estates staff and other non-medical staff and those with unknown classification.
Note:
All figures in this table exclude GP and GP practice staff.
Source:
Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census
Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census
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NHS Funding
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding the NHS received in 2003–04. [185517]
Mr. Hutton: Total net expenditure in the national health service in England, in 2003–04, is estimated to be £63.7 billion. Outturn figures will be available in the autumn.
NHS Statistics (London)
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS beds were available in Greater London, broken down by national health service trust, in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [179395]
Mr. Hutton: The national health service is treating patients in better more efficient ways, for example the proportion of finished admission episodes at London NHS providers classified as day cases (where patients are admitted to hospital for a planned surgical procedure, returning home on the same day) increased from 28.8 per cent. in 1997–98 to 31.8 per cent. in 2002–03. Over the same period the total number of finished admission episodes increase by 15.6 per cent. to 1,639,915.
We have also increased capacity outside of hospitals with the introduction of 10 NHS treatment centres in London. Treatment centres separate elective care from emergency care so that it is not disrupted and between April 2003 and May this year, 65,000 patients received treatment in this way.
To make healthcare more convenient for patients, the NHS is increasingly offering services in primary care or in outpatient departments, without the need for a hospital admission. With more staff, more facilities and new ways of working, more patients are being treated in primary care.
The information requested on NHS beds has been placed in the Library.
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