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27 Jan 2005 : Column 558W—continued
Nurses (Neonatal Intensive Care)
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many experienced nurses there were in the neonatal intensive care units in East Kent Hospitals Trust (a) on the latest date for which figures are available and (b) 12 months prior to that date. [210367]
Ms Rosie Winterton:
The information requested is not collected centrally. It is for local hospitals and health economies to decide how to deploy staff in ways that will best meet the needs of the population.
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Nut Allergy
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice is given to primary care trusts on dealing with prevention and treatment of nut allergy; [210511]
(2) whether his Department is financing research into nut allergy. [210512]
Dr. Ladyman: The Medical Research Council is not currently funding any research specifically on nut allergy, although they are undertaking some more general research on allergy, which may be of some relevance.
Determining and meeting local health care needs is the responsibility of primary care trusts. However, we are committed to ensuring the national health service develops allergy services that offer high quality and personalised care to patients and will be drawing to their attention the Health Select Committee's report on the provision of allergy services and the Government's response.
Paediatric Nursing Staff (East Kent)
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the ratio of trained paediatric nursing staff to patients is in hospitals in the East Kent Hospitals Trust (a) during the day and (b) during the night. [210371]
Ms Rosie Winterton:
The Department collects information on the number of qualified paediatric nurses by individual trusts. The latest figures available for the number of qualified paediatric nurses at the East Kent Hospitals National Health Service Trust is shown in the table. It is not possible to determine the ratio of
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trained paediatric nursing staff to patients as the Department does not collect statistics on the number of patients seen.
| Headcount | ||
|---|---|---|
| RVV | East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust | 121 |
Source:
Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census
Patient Litigation
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on behalf of how many patients legal action has been taken against (a) individuals and (b) institutions under the remit of his Department in (i) Romford, (ii) the London borough of Havering, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Essex and (v) England in each of the last seven years; [210594]
(2) how many patients have suffered from medical negligence by NHS staff in (a) Romford, (b) the London borough of Havering, (c) Greater London, (d) Essex and (e) England in each of the last seven years. [210596]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHSLA) records the number of clinical negligence claims made against NHS institutions and bodies, which are vicariously liable for the negligent acts and omissions of their employees.
Table 1 shows the number of clinical negligence claims made in each year, from 1997–98 to 2003–04, in Romford, Havering, London, Essex and England.
Table 2 shows the number of clinical negligence claims in which damages were awarded for the same years and areas.
Notes:
1.Information is not held on claims made against individuals outside of the NHSLA arrangements. For example, where individuals, such as general practitioners, are covered by private indemnity arrangements.
2.The NHSLA does not record whether non-clinical negligence claims are made by patients. Information can only be provided on the basis of claims by patients for clinical negligence.
3.Figures for Romford are for claims attributed to Harold Wood hospital and Old Church hospital. Figures for Havering are for claims attributed to Harold Wood Hospital, Old Church hospital and Havering primary care trust. Figures for Essex cover bodies and institutions under Essex Strategic Health Authority (SHA). Figures for London cover bodies and institutions under the five London SHAs. Figures for England cover all bodies and institutions in England.
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Prescription Charges
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the limits for exemption from prescription charges under the NHS low income scheme based on capital assets were last reviewed. [208124]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The capital assets limits for exemption from prescription charges and other health costs under the national health service low income scheme are based on the Department of Work and Pensions income support arrangements for people of all ages, except that limit which applies to people who live permanently in a care home. This limit is based on local authority care home charging arrangements.
The income support capital limits are kept under continual review. The capital limit amounts for those people under 60 have been unchanged since April 1988 and for those for people over aged 60 since April 2001.
The capital limit for people living permanently in a care home is reviewed annually and last changed in April 2004.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many prescription items were dispensed and paid for by the patient on a per item basis in England in 2003–04; [208125]
(2) how many prescription items were dispensed in England in 2003–04; [208127]
(3) what (a) the average cost per prescription item and (b) the dispensing fee in the NHS in England was in 2003–04. [208129]
Ms Rosie Winterton: In the financial year 2003–04, 659.4 million prescription items were dispensed in the community in England. Of these, 58.5 million, were for patients who paid a charge at the point of dispensing.
The average net ingredient cost per prescription item in 2003–04 was £11.62. The dispensing fee is 96.4 pence.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total income from prescription charge pre-payment certificates in England was in 2003–04. [208126]
Ms Rosie Winterton: In 2003–04 the total income from prescription charge pre-payment certificates in England was £62.4 million.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost of requiring patients to pay a single prescription charge when their medical condition requires two or more medicines or treatments; and if he will estimate the cost in terms of (a) revenue foregone and (b) administrative costs incurred. [208128]
Ms Rosie Winterton: It is not possible to estimate the cost of requiring patients to pay a single prescription charge when their medical condition requires two or more medicines or treatments, as information about the relevant medical conditions is not available.
It is possible to estimate the cost if patients were to only pay one prescription charge per prescription form (regardless of how many items are on the form). In 2003–04, it is estimated that the potential prescription charge income, if only one prescription charge per prescription form was incurred, would be around £290 million. This would mean a loss in prescription
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charge revenue of around £76 million, based on the current practice of a prescription charge being incurred for each prescription item on a form.
It is not possible to estimate the administrative costs incurred, because the necessary information is not separately identified.
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