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1 Sept 2004 : Column 911W—continued
Midwives
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions his Department has taken to encourage a return to NHS practice by those who had previously worked in the NHS as midwives; how many such individuals have returned to practice in each year since 1992; what targets have been set in this area; and if he will make a statement. [185964]
Mr. Hutton: All midwives deciding to return to the national health service are eligible for a returners package including a £1,500 bursary to support them whilst they are retraining. There is also financial support for childcare, travel and books. The chief nursing officer has contacted former midwives by letter to encourage them to return to the NHS. To support this, the Department allocated £750,000 to workforce development confederations in 2003–04 to fund 500 return to practice places for midwives. To encourage returners, a new NHS careers return to practice guide for midwives was published in January 2004. Copies are available in the Library. In addition, the Department has funded the Royal College of Midwives, in collaboration with Open University, to design a flexible return to practice open learning programme.
Since the national return to practice programme commenced in 1999, over 17,000 former nurses, midwives and health visitors have returned to the NHS. Data for the period prior to 1999 is not available.
Milk
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies he has (a) commissioned and (b) reviewed concerning the presence of rocket fuel in milk. [182242]
Miss Melanie Johnson
[holding answer 5 July 2004]: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has monitored a number of environmental contaminants in milk. The FSA has not commissioned or reviewed studies on the presence in milk of rocket fuel.
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Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the availability through the NHS of respite care for sufferers of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME); what comparative assessment has been made of the level of respite care available in different regions; how much funding has been allocated on average per strategic health authority for the provision of respite care for sufferers of ME in this financial year; and what funding has been allocated to Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority for this purpose in this financial year. [185615]
Dr. Ladyman: We do not collect information on the provision of respite care for people with specific illnesses. No specific funding is allocated to the national health service for the provision of respite services. It is for primary care trusts, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
National Poisons Information Service
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any of the poisons information specialists at the National Poisons Information Service and the West Midlands Poisons Unit, received income from agrochemical companies; what disclosure systems are in place, including for patients; and if he will make a statement. [184569]
Miss Melanie Johnson: No member of the medical, scientific (including poisons information specialists) and nursing staff of the National Poisons Information Service, Birmingham centre and the associated clinical unit, the West Midlands Poisons Unit, has ever received income or any other funds from agrochemical companies.
National Service Framework for Older People
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department will publish its review of the April 2004 milestones for the National Service Framework for Older People; and if he will make a statement. [183661]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department will not be publishing a review of the April 2004 milestones in the national service framework (NSF) for older people. However, the Healthcare Commission is currently conducting an inspection of implementation of the NSF and will release its findings in 2005.
New Hospitals
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2004, Official Report, column 1100W, on new hospitals, what each of the 46 new hospital schemes entails. [185989]
Mr. Hutton: The table gives brief details for each of the 46 schemes as requested.
1 Sept 2004 : Column 913W
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