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28 Oct 2004 : Column 1338W—continued
Long-term Care
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many older people are in receipt of long-term care in England; and how many have been in receipt of long-term care for over three years. [191481]
Dr. Ladyman: At 31 March 2001, there were about 403,000 places available in care homes in England for people aged 65 and over. This includes places in residential homes, general and mental nursing homes, private hospitals and clinics.
I understand from the Chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that figures for later years were collected by the National Care Standards Commission, and now CSCI, but comparable details are not available.
In 2002–03, 989,000 people aged 65 or over were receiving community-based services in England. This includes day care, meals, respite care, direct payments, professional support, transport and equipment as well as home care. This data excludes privately-funded residents.
A study conducted by the personal services research unit at the University of Kent in 1996 found that, on a snapshot, around 40 per cent., of older, publicly-funded residents had been in a care home for three years or more. This data excludes people who purchase their care privately.
Mental Health
Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve mental health services for children and young people. [193337]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department is undertaking a programme of improvement in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). It is providing an additional £300 million to local authorities and the national health service from 2003–04 to 2005–06 for this purpose.
The Department published the children's national service framework (NSF) on 15 September 2004. This includes a standard on the mental health and psychological well-being of children and young people, setting out the recommended approach for providing comprehensive CAMHS to all who need them. A national CAMHS support service has been established
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to help local CAMHS providers and commissioners develop their services in line with the guidance set out in the children's NSF.
Mobile Phones
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mobile phones were used by (a) Ministers and special advisers and (b) officials in his Department in each year since 1997; how many were (i) lost and (ii) stolen; and what their cost was. [191428]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Details of numbers and users of central departmental mobile phones are not kept on an annual basis. Information is therefore available only on the current position. There are 1,102 mobile phones currently in use, of which nine are used by Ministers and special advisers and 1,093 by officials.
The costs of the equipment, call charges and line rental in each financial year since 2001–02 are shown in table 1. Figures for the years 1997–98 to 2000–01 are not available.
| Financial year | Amount (£) |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 270,000 |
| 2002–03 | 280,000 |
| 2003–04 | 304,000 |
| 2004–05 | (6)144,500 |
(6) Figure to date.
Number of mobile phones lost and stolen and their cost are shown in table 2. Departmental records do not differentiate between lost and stolen mobile phones.
| Financial year | Numbers lost/stolen | Replacement purchase cost (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 19 | 769 |
| 1998–99 | 19 | 691 |
| 1999–2000 | 26 | 557 |
| 2000–01 | 43 | 1,332 |
| 2001–02 | 37 | 987 |
| 2002–03 | 37 | 2,693 |
| 2003–04 | 29 | 1,954 |
| 2004–05 | 51(7) | 538 |
(7) Figure to date.
New Deal (Departmental Recruitment)
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many personnel the Department has recruited under the new deal in each of the past five years. [194029]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 26 October 2004]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 25 October 2004, Official Report, column 1052W, by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly).
NHS Dentistry
Mr. Hogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of NHS dentistry within a 20 mile radius of Sleaford; and what steps he will take to ensure that new patients will be accepted for NHS dentistry services in the area. [193838]
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Dr. Ladyman: The Health and Social Care Act 2003 gave local primary care trusts the responsibility to ensure that primary dental services are accessible for the people who seek them in their area.
NHS Facilities
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional NHS facilities have been made available to people in Nottingham since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [193614]
Dr. Ladyman: The following additional facilities have been made available to the people of Nottingham since 1997.
Trent Strategic Health Authority (SHA)—Trent access and choice pilot (TRAC):
Trent SHA is a pilot site for introducing choice ahead of national timescales.
TRAC is working with three general practitioner practices, including one in Nottingham. From July 2003, the pilots have been offering a choice to patients on the waiting list for cataract operations. Initially this is a choice of national health service trusts and agreements are being reached with local trusts to provide extra clinics on a trial basis for TRAC.
Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust:
Ear, nose and throat/ophthalmology unit opened in 2001.
Accident and emergency department expanded and modernised in 2003.
Maternity unit modernised and refurbished in 20O3.
Patient advice and liaison service set up in 2003.
Simulation and clinical skills centre opened in 2004.
New magnetic resonance imaging scanner operational in 2004.
Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust:
Extension of cardiac surgery unit (extension of existing services) 1997.
New high dependency unit (new service) opened 2000.
Re-provision of the endoscopy unit (to existing service) opened in 2001.
New orthopaedic pre-operative assessment suite (new service) opened in 2002.
Re-provision of the breast unit, which opened in 2003.
New clinical haematology wards opened in 2003.
Nottingham walk-in-centre opened in June 2000.
A DAC was opened in Nottingham City Primary Care Trust in 2001.
Personal Dental Services—fieldsites:
Two personal dental services also opened in Nottingham in January 2004, at Broxtowe and Hucknall and Rushcliffe.
Independent Sector Treatment Centre:
Based at Barlborough, at junction 30 of the M1. An interim service is being provided from Bassetlaw and Ilkeston hospital, which commenced in April 2004. The full service from the new facility is due to commence in May 2005.
Since 1997–98, five pharmacies have opened in the Nottingham area.
Pharmacies
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 18 October 2004, Official Report, column 497W, on pharmacies, what progress he is making in reviewing legislation regarding the arrangements for the dispensing and sale of medicines; and when he intends to consult on possible changes. [193449]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Good progress is being made and I hope to be able to issue a consultation document soon.
Silzone Heart Valves
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will take measures to ensure that all UK recipients of the St. Jude Silzone heart valve are alerted to the problems associated with these valves; [193086]
(2) what information he has collated on the compliance of cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiologists with the departmental advice of (a) November 1999 and (b) January 2000 regarding Silzone heart valves. [193091]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department issued advice to United Kingdom cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiologists on the problems associated with the St. Jude Silzone heart valve in November 1999 and January 2000. Specifically, the Department advised clinicians of the recall of Silzone heart valves; of the increased risk of complications with the Silzone heart valves and of the consequent need to undertake early review of all patients implanted with these valves. Clinicians are responsible for acting on this advice and for bringing relevant information to the attention of their patients.
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make representations to the relevant authorities in the Republic of Ireland that they should alert Irish citizens who have received the St. Jude Silzone heart valve to the problems associated with these valves. [193087]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department notified other European competent authorities of the action taken in the United Kingdom, in relation to Silzone heart valves, via notifications through the medical devices vigilance system on 19 November 1999 and 3 February 2000. These notifications informed other European competent authorities of the UK's recommendation to undertake an early review of all patients implanted with the Silzone heart valve and gave background to this advice. Notifications of this type are the recognised method for exchanging information on the safety of medical devices between European member states.
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library copies of his departmental advice to UK cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiologists in (a) November 1999 and (b) January 2000 regarding Silzone heart valves. [193090]
Ms Rosie Winterton:
Copies of the advice regarding Silzone heart valves (MDA AN1999(06), MDA DA2000(01)), issued to United Kingdom cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiologists in November 1999 and January 2000, have been placed in the Library.
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Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the risk of complications to recipients of the St. Jude Silzone heart valve. [193093]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) evaluated reports of an apparently high rate of complications among patients implanted with Silzone heart valves. Consequently, the MHRA commissioned an independent assessment of these findings by the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland, which confirmed the validity and statistical significance of these adverse event reports. In addition, the Department further commissioned a report on the biocompatibility of the Silzone heart valves by a leading United Kingdom professor of toxicology. The evaluation of these reports helped the MHRA in the decision to notify cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiologists in November 1999 and January 2000 regarding risks associated with the Silzone heart valves.
The MHRA has continued to monitor the Silzone heart valves through review of publications from the AVERT study. This is a clinical study of these valves, involving some 800 overseas patients, sponsored by the manufacturer, St. Jude Medical. The three publications to date have confirmed the MHRA's conclusions regarding the risk of complications for the Silzone heart valve.
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