House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 1 Sept 2004 (pt 65)

1 Sept 2004 : Column 931W—continued

Surrey and Sussex Health Authority

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding Surrey and Sussex Health Authority received in 2003–04. [185518]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The final resource limit for Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority in 2003–04 was £126.8 million.

Tamworth

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact his Department's policies have had on (a) dealing with sickness rates and (b) promoting health in Tamworth constituency since 1997. [185837]

Dr. Ladyman: The Government have put in place a programme of national health service investment and reform since 1997 to improve service delivery in all parts

1 Sept 2004 : Column 932W

of the United Kingdom. There is significant evidence that these policies have yielded considerable benefits for the Tamworth constituency.

For example:

Inpatient and outpatient waits

In June 2002, there were 261 people in the Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth Primary Care Trust (PCT) area waiting nine months or longer for inpatient treatment, including day cases. In May 2004, no one was waiting nine months or longer.

In June 2002, there were 16 people in the Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth PCT area waiting 21 weeks or longer. In December 2003 there were none.

Accident and emergency waits

At Burton Hospitals NHS Trust, 93.3 per cent. of patients were admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours in the quarter to March 2004. The year average is 92.8 per cent., up from 89.2 per cent, in September 2002.

At Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust, 92.4 per cent. of patients were admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours in the quarter to March 2004. The year average is 94.3 per cent., up from 81.2 per cent. in September 2002.

Staffing

Between September 1997 and December 2003 the number of consultants at Burton Hospitals NHS Trust increased from 60 to 83. The number of nurses increased from 632 to 774 between September 1997 and September 2003.

Between September 1997 and December 2003 the number of consultants at Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust increased from 54 to 67. The number of nurses increased from 809 to 847 between September 1997 and September 2003.

Across the Burton, Lichfield and Tamworth PCT area, the number of general medical practitioners increased from 85 in September 2001 to 90 in December 2003.

Access to care

Figures for April 2004 show that all patients within Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth PCT are able to be offered an appointment with a general practitioner within two working days and with a primary care professional within one working day.

In Burton Hospitals NHS Trust, 100 per cent. of people with suspected cancer are now seen by a specialist within two weeks of being urgently referred by their GP.

In Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust, 99.8 per cent. of people with suspected cancer are now seen by a specialist within two weeks of being urgently referred by their GP.

Between 1998 and 2001 in Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth PCT there was a 35 per cent. decrease in the mortality rates for cardiovascular disease (Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke and related conditions) in the under 75s.

1 Sept 2004 : Column 933W

Allocations

From 2003–04 to 2005–06, Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth PCT's allocation has risen by £32.2 million or 30.4 per cent.

New Capital

A new £20 million independent sector treatment centre is being created at Burton Hospital NHS Trust, which will allow extra capacity for orthopaedic and ophthalmology surgery cases across the county.

Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth PCT is on course to build the new community hospital in Lichfield, ready for the summer of 2006. The enabling works have already been completed on site and the business case has been signed off. The overall cost is around £16 million. All the services presently available to the local population will be re-provided in the new Lichfield Hospital, with the exception of day surgery, which has transferred to the Sir Robert Peel Hospital in Tamworth.

Scanners

An additional computed tomography (CT) scanner was delivered to Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust in January 2004.

An additional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner was delivered to Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust in April 2001.

A replacement CT scanner was delivered to Burton Hospitals NHS Trust in February 2001.

An additional CT scanner will be delivered to Burton Hospitals NHS Trust by December 2004.

An additional MRI scanner will be delivered to Burton Hospitals NHS Trust by December 2004.

Source of information:

Department of Health. Office of National Statistics.

1 Sept 2004 : Column 934W

Temporary Staff

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether, when hiring temporary clerical and administration staff, hospitals are required to comply with the national framework agreement. [185185]

Mr. Hutton: There is no mandatory requirement for national health service trusts to comply with the national framework agreement (NFA) set up by the NHS Purchasing and Supplies Agency (PASA). The benefits of using the NFA are clear. NHS trusts are encouraged to use the NFA by PASA.

Trainee Doctors

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many (a) whole-time equivalent and (b) headcount paediatric consultant specialists in kidney disease are working in the NHS; and how many vacant posts there are; [185411]

(2) how many trainee doctors specialising in paediatrics have been working in the NHS in each of the last seven years, broken down by gender; [185412]

(3) how many and what percentage of paediatric trainee doctors have gone on to take up consultancy posts in each of the last seven years. [185413]

Mr. Hutton: As at 31 December 2003, there were 1,589 whole-time equivalent and 1,753 headcount paediatric consultants working in the national health service. Data held by the Department do not distinguish how many of these consultants specialise in kidney disease.

As at 31 March, the three-month vacancy number for paediatric consultants was 43. The three-month vacancy rate was 2.7 per cent. This is lower than the average consultant three-month vacancy rate across all specialties, which was 4.7 per cent.

Table 1 shows the number of doctors in training in the paediatric specialty since 1997, broken down by gender.

Table 2 shows the cumulative total and percentage by year of first appearance as a consultant in the medical and dental workforce census.
Table 1: Hospital, public health medicine and community health services (HCHS) Staff, Paediatric group training grades by gender and specialty, 1997–2003, England, as at 30 September Number (headcount)

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Paediatric group 2,648 2,720 2,838 2,936 2,875 3,049 3,258

Of which:

Paediatrics 2,626 2,682 2,807 2,909 2,836 2,998 3,217

Senior house officer 1,708 1,661 1,689 1,739 1,708 1,812 1,943

Of which:

Male 708 675 645 640 651 713 812

Female 1,000 986 1,044 1,099 1,057 1,099 1,131

House officer 18 26 36 43 39 51 69

Of which:

Male 11 10 20 22 14 17 18

Female 7 16 16 21 25 34 51

Registrar 900 995 1,082 1,127 1,089 1,135 1,205

Of which:

Male 430 455 462 456 449 471 468

Female 470 540 620 671 640 664 737

Source:
Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

Table 2: Cumulative total and percentage by year of first appearance as consultant in medical and dental workforce census

As at September

1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003

Expected CCST date financial year⁽⁸³⁾ No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

1997–98 cohort⁽⁸⁴⁾ 42 41 63 61 76 74 80 78 84 82 86 83

1998–99 cohort — — 21 14 54 36 77 52 90 60 103 69

1999–2000 cohort — — — — 46 26 82 46 105 59 116 65

2000–01 cohort — — — — — — 59 30 100 51 119 60

2001–02 cohort — — — — — — — — 77 32 115 48

2002–03 cohort — — — — — — — — — — 50 21

⁽⁸³⁾ Expected certificate of completion of specialist training (CCST) date can change. If data have changed and moved later it is possible for the same trainee to appear under multiple years. Totals of each year appearing should therefore not be taken.
⁽⁸⁴⁾ All cohorts consist of specialist registrars with an expected CCST date of within one year of the date of the planning extract collection.
Note: Paediatrics is the paediatrics group, which covers paediatrics, paediatric neurology, paediatric cardiology.
Source: Medical and dental workforce census and planning extract.

1 Sept 2004 : Column 935W

	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Paediatric group	2,648	2,720	2,838	2,936	2,875	3,049	3,258
Of which:
Paediatrics	2,626	2,682	2,807	2,909	2,836	2,998	3,217
Senior house officer	1,708	1,661	1,689	1,739	1,708	1,812	1,943
Of which:
Male	708	675	645	640	651	713	812
Female	1,000	986	1,044	1,099	1,057	1,099	1,131

House officer	18	26	36	43	39	51	69
Of which:
Male	11	10	20	22	14	17	18
Female	7	16	16	21	25	34	51
Registrar	900	995	1,082	1,127	1,089	1,135	1,205
Of which:
Male	430	455	462	456	449	471	468
Female	470	540	620	671	640	664	737

	As at September
	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Expected CCST date financial year⁽⁸³⁾	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
1997–98 cohort⁽⁸⁴⁾	42	41	63	61	76	74	80	78	84	82	86	83
1998–99 cohort	—	—	21	14	54	36	77	52	90	60	103	69
1999–2000 cohort	—	—	—	—	46	26	82	46	105	59	116	65
2000–01 cohort	—	—	—	—	—	—	59	30	100	51	119	60
2001–02 cohort	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	77	32	115	48
2002–03 cohort	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	50	21

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