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7 Feb 2005 : Column 1334W—continued
Neck of Femur Fractures
Mrs. Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the mortality rate was of people admitted to hospital with fractured neck of femur in each year from 1997–98 to 2003–04, broken down by age group; [214287]
(2) what the average wait between admission and surgery was for people admitted to hospital for fractured neck of femur in each year from 1997–98 to 2003–04; [214404]
(3) how many people over the age of 60 years were admitted to hospital in England with fractured neck of femur in each year from 1997–98 to 2003–04. [214405]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 4 February 2005]: Information on the median wait between admission and surgery and the number of people over the age of 60 years admitted to hospital for fractured neck of femur is given in the table. Data on the mortality rate of people admitted to hospital for fractured neck of femur are not collected centrally.
Notes:
1.Finished in-year admissions—A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the data year.
Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
2.Diagnosis (primary diagnosis)—The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (7 prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
3.Ungrossed data—Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
Source:
Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.
7 Feb 2005 : Column 1335W
In-house Magazines
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on the production of in-house magazines in the Department in each year since 1997. [213632]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department produces one in-house magazine for its staff, Link. Costs for the present contractor for each calendar year from 1999 are shown in the table. Costs prior to August 1998 can be provided only at disproportionate cost, so 1998 figures are excluded.
| Cost | |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 125,411 |
| 2000 | 141,838 |
| 2001 | 133,899 |
| 2002 | 155,687 |
| 2003 | 146,489 |
| 2004 | 142,698 |
Insulin
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that the patient information leaflet for human insulin includes reference to the full range of side effects experienced by those taking human insulin, as reported to the Committee on Safety of Medicines. [211590]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 31 January 2005]: The current authorised product information provides details on both common and less common side effects associated with human insulin. The most common adverse drug reactions reported are decreases or increases in blood sugar, headache, injection site reaction and pruritis (itching). Less common adverse drug reactions include allergic reactions, muscle pain, depression, rash, diarrhoea, fatigue, palpitations and vomiting.
Not all suspected adverse drug reactions reported to the Committee on Safety of Medicines through the yellow card scheme are listed in the product information for prescribers (the summary of product characteristics) and patients (patient information leaflet). A report of a suspected adverse drug reaction does not necessarily mean that it was caused by the drug. Reports of suspected adverse reactions are evaluated as they are received and are added to the product information if there is sufficient evidence to suggest that they are at least possibly associated with the medicine.
The product information for Lantus (insulin glargine) was recently updated to warn about the possibility of interactions with treatments for schizophrenia and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) following review of spontaneous reports.
Kidney Disease
Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the relationship between high blood pressure and kidney disease. [211943]
7 Feb 2005 : Column 1336W
Ms Rosie Winterton: There is good research evidence to show that blood pressure control can slow the decline in kidney function in people in the early stages of chronic kidney disease. In addition, high blood pressure may be a sign of undetected chronic kidney disease.
The national service frameworks for renal services, Part two (published 3 February), and for coronary heart disease, and National Institute Clinical Excellence clinical guidelines on the management of hypertension, recognise the link between high blood pressure and kidney disease and recommend that people with raised blood pressure should have their kidney function measured routinely.
Mental Health (Young People)
Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the Government intend to reduce the number of young people waiting over 26 weeks to see child and adolescent mental health service staff. [213367]
Dr. Ladyman: The Government remain committed to further improve access to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and the reduction of waiting times. The Department is investing an additional £300 million in CAMHS during the period from 2003–04 to 2005–06. This additional funding, together with the assistance available from CAMHS regional development workers, will help to reduce the waiting time for CAMHS.
In line with all other specialities, the Government are reducing waiting times for the first outpatient appointment with a consultant specialising in child and adolescent psychiatry following a general practitioner referral. By the end of 2005, the maximum wait will have been cut from 17 weeks, to 13 weeks.
The children's national service framework, published September in 2004, sets out the standards that need to be adopted by commissioners and providers of CAMHS. Adoption of these standards will ensure that all children and young people have access to mental health problems will have access to timely, integrated and high quality mental health services.
Mobility Aids
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are taken to ensure that walking sticks, crutches and similar aids are returned to the NHS by patients once they are no longer needed. [213950]
Dr. Ladyman: It is a local decision about whether trusts want national health service patients to return walking sticks, crutches or similar aids. How they achieve that is for local determination.
MRI Scans
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the recent contract with Alliance Medical to provide the NHS with mobile MRI scanning units; what assessment he has made of the impact of the contract on NHS (a) recruitment and (b) retention of (i) radiographers and (ii) other diagnostic staff; and if he will make a statement. [213925]
7 Feb 2005 : Column 1337W
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 3 February 2005]: Written representation has been received from the Society of Radiographers, the British Medical Association, right hon. and hon. Members and the public. The independent sector will provide additional staff to ease pressure on existing national health service diagnostic teams and the mobile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning units will ensure that the NHSand patients get early access to this additional diagnostic capacity.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) evaluation, (b) monitoring and (c) data collection his Department is undertaking on the implementation and performance of the contract with Alliance Medical for mobile MRI scans; and if he will make a statement. [213926]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 3 February 2005]: Contract monitoring is carried out regularly with Alliance Medical and a benchmarking audit of image quality and reports is to be undertaken in 2005. In addition, Alliance Medical figures for November 2004 show that 96 per cent. of respondents rated the service above average or excellent.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to put out to tender further contracts for (a) MRI scans, (b) CT scans and (c) other diagnostic procedures; and if he will make a statement. [213928]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 3 February 2005]: The Department is currently working on plans for phase two of its independent sector procurement programme, which will include additional diagnostic services in order to help the national health service achieve future waiting time targets.
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