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18 Nov 2004 : Column 1974W—continued
Hospital Radio
Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has (a) to promote and (b) to develop hospital radio. [198495]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Hospital radio stations have provided an invaluable service to patients for many years. It is up to each individual national health service trust as to how hospital radio stations are promoted and developed locally.
Influenza Vaccine
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he was informed of the problem with influenza vaccines at Chiron; and if he will make a statement. [190813]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 14 October 2004]: Chiron Vaccines notified the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency inspector responsible for the Speke site, of a potential problem with influenza vaccine on 27 August 2004. The MHRA carried out an initial inspection and informed Ministers there was a problem on 15 September 2004.
Learning Disability
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which long-stay hospitals provide accommodation for people with a learning disability; how many people with a learning disability remain in each of these; and whether each hospital will meet its agreed closure date. [197845]
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Dr. Ladyman: In March 2001, when Valuing People was published, approximately 1,500 people with learning disabilities were living in long-stay hospitals. On 1 April 2004, the number was 668.
This table shows the remaining long-stay hospitals providing accommodation, the number of people in each.
Closure dates have been agreed for all but three establishments and the responsible strategic health authorities have given assurances that these dates will be met. The remaining three dates are being negotiated within the whole closure programme of April 2006.
Legislation
Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what pieces of legislation passed in the last 30 years that the Department is responsible for remain to be brought into force, broken down by year of enactment. [195623]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Providing information for the period requested will incur disproportionate costs.
Leukaemia (Power Lines)
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of children under 15 years of age who (a) died and (b) suffered from leukaemia in each of the last three years who lived (i) within 100 metres of and (ii) over 100 metres away from high voltage power lines. [197550]
Dr. Ladyman: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Maldon and South Chelmsford PCT
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in the appointment of an official within the Maldon and South Chelmsford primary care trust with responsibility for co-ordinating healthcare policy in South Woodham Ferrers. [199121]
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Dr. Ladyman: In line with "Shifting the Balance of Power" and the NHS Plan, it is now for primary care trusts (PCTs), in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use the funds allocated to them to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
I understand that Maldon and South Chelmsford PCT advertised the position of project manager on 15 October, with a closing date of 29 October. The advert has attracted four applicants, and interviews are scheduled to take place on 29 November. The PCT hopes to be able to announce the successful candidate in December.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the public relations budget of the Maldon and South Chelmsford primary care trust was in the first six months of the current financial year. [199123]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department allocates revenue funding to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. In the allocations for 2003–04 to 2005–06 none of the growth money has been identified for specific purposes.
It is for PCTs, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use these funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
I understand that Maldon and South Chelmsford PCT has contracted out its public relations function, at a cost of £900 per month, plus value added tax, since 2001. The contract is open ended and is not subject to inflationary increase.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the new hospital planned for Maldon will open; what the estimated cost of the project is; and if he will make a statement. [199122]
Dr. Ladyman: In line with "Shifting the Balance of Power" and the NHS Plan, it is now for primary care trusts (PCTs), in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use the funds allocated to them to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
I understand that Maldon and South Chelmsford PCT is at a critical stage in negotiating the purchase of a suitable parcel of land within the Maldon area on which it wishes to site the new community hospital. Subject to the negotiations reaching a successful conclusion, the PCT is planning to open the new hospital in early 2008. The estimated costs of the new community hospital under the private finance initiative is approximately £27 million.
Male Circumcision
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the health effects of circumcision of male infants. [198754]
Dr. Ladyman:
Circumcision in male infants has a number of potential complications. It is largely performed for cultural or religious reasons in neonates
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and the postulated health benefits are contentious. Beyond the neonatal period it may be performed for medical conditions, but there is a growing view among paediatric urologists that the majority of these are better dealt with by more conservative treatment. I understand guidelines have been issued by the General Medical Council, and that the British Medical Association has advised doctors performing circumcisions on male infants to ensure that those giving consent consider all the risks and benefits associated with the procedure.
ME
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the Chief Medical Officer on (a) the clinical definition of and (b) the available treatments for sufferers of myalgic encephalitis. [199290]
Dr. Ladyman: Ministers and the Chief Medical Officer meet on a regular basis to discuss a variety of issues relating to myalgic encephalitis, the most recent meeting being with me and Lord Warner on 8 November.
Mental Health
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the acute NHS trusts in England that do not have a designated place of safety as defined by the Mental Health Act 1983. [199062]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Mental Health Act 1983 provides for people who appear to be suffering from mental disorder to be removed to a place of safety in certain circumstances. For these purposes, a place of safety includes residential accommodation provided by a local social services authority, a hospital, a police station, an independent hospital or care home for mentally disordered persons, or any other suitable place whose occupier is willing temporarily to receive the patient. The identification of preferred places of safety is a matter for local agreement. The Department does not maintain records of these places.
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost is in this financial year of mental health services provided by the Salisbury NHS mental health team; how many mental health patients from (a) Devizes, (b) West Wiltshire, (c) the New Forest and (d) elsewhere outside Salisbury have been treated by the team in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [197825]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally.
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the construction cost was of the Grovely in-patient ward at the Fountain Way facility of the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust in Salisbury; what the running costs have been in each of the last five years; and what the options are for the use of the Grovely facility if the decision is taken to close it; [197826]
(2) for what reasons it is proposed to cut funding for mental health services in Salisbury by £2.5 million; and if he will make a statement; [197828]
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(3) for what reasons the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust proposes to close Grovely House; what alternative facilities will be available to patients if this facility closes; whether it is proposed to disband the local outreach team; whether additional funds will be made available to (a) general practitioners and (b) Wiltshire County Council to provide alternative care in the event that the trust reduces in-patient facilities in Salisbury; and if he will make a statement. [197829]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested on construction and running costs is not collected centrally.
It is for primary care trusts (PCTs), in partnership with other national health service bodies and stakeholders, to plan and commission appropriate levels of service for their populations. PCTs have been given increased funding to enable them to do this and South Wiltshire PCT's allocation for 2004–05 is £108.5 million, an increase in cash terms of 8.9 per cent.
Public consultation on proposals for mental health services locally is being undertaken by the NHS in South Wiltshire before any final decisions are taken.
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many elderly inpatient and acute beds at the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust's Salisbury facility are blocked; how many have been blocked for (a) three months or more, (b) six months or more and (c) one year or more; and what the length of stay is of the patient who has been at the hospital for the longest time. [197827]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Data is collected centrally on delayed discharges from acute beds only. The Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership National Health Service Trust does not have acute beds and therefore no information is available.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what instructions have been issued to staff of the National Institute for Mental Health concerning comments by them on the draft Mental Health Bill. [197982]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department has not given any instructions to staff of the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) concerning their comments on the draft Mental Health Bill.
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