House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 23 Mar 2005 (pt 26)

23 Mar 2005 : Column 894W—continued

Travellers (Cambridgeshire)

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much Government funding has been allocated to the Cambridgeshire Travellers Initiative Project. [223374]

Mr. Lammy: The Cambridgeshire Travellers Initiative Project is a Partnership Initiative Budget (PIB) Project funded by the Legal Services Commission. The funding allocated to the project is £60,750 over 36 months (November 2003 to October 2006). All PIB funded projects are required to have at least 25 per cent. match funding. The Cambridgeshire Travellers Initiative Project receives its match funding in kind (covering costs such as office space and supervision) from the Ormiston Children and Families Trust.

23 Mar 2005 : Column 895W

HEALTH

Alzheimer's Disease

Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the recommendation by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence that Reminyl, Aricept and Exelon should not be provided free on the NHS to patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. [221757]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department has responded to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's (NICE'S) consultation on its draft appraisal of drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease; a copy of which is available in the Library. NICE will be issuing a final version of this new guidance later in the year, after considering responses to its consultation. Until then, its original 2001 appraisal continues to apply.

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the Government's response to the consultation by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence on the cost effectiveness of Arisept, Excelon and Reminyl. [222690]

Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the recommendation of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence not to use donepezil (Aricept) in the treatment of mild to moderate cases of Alzheimer's disease. [223094]

23 Mar 2005 : Column 896W

Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 22 March 2005]: I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth (Mr. Edwards) on Wednesday 23 March.

Asthma

Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have been diagnosed with asthma in (a) England, (b) the East Midlands and (c) Leicester South constituency since 1997. [222894]

Dr. Ladyman: Information on the number of children diagnosed with asthma is not collected. However according to Asthma UK, there are over 1.1 million children in the United Kingdom who suffer from asthma.

Most cases of asthma are diagnosed and managed by general practitioners (GPs). The new GP contract which came into force on 1 April 2004 significantly benefits patients by improving the quality of care and widening the range of services available at GP surgeries.

The contract is supported by a quality and outcomes framework which resources and rewards GPs on the basis of how well they care for patients rather than simply the number of patients they treat, leading to good chronic disease management in the community. Asthma is one of the diseases included in the framework.

Cancelled Operations

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations have been cancelled in NHS hospitals in each of the past 10 years. [219399]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 4 March 2005]: The available information is shown in the table.

Quarter 1
Quarter 2
Quarter 3
Quarter 4

Number of cancelled operations Per 100 elective admissions Number of cancelled operations Per 100 elective admissions Number of cancelled operations Per 100 elective admissions Number of cancelled operations Per 100 elective admissions

1994–95 11,603 1.1 10,186 0.9 11,874 1 14,466 1.2

1995–96 11,860 1 11,457 1 14,514 1.2 16,652 1.3

1996–97 11,595 1 11,055 0.9 13,023 1.1 16,374 1.4

1997–98 12,019 1 11,550 1 12,476 1 14,460 1.2

1998–99 12,384 1 11,470 0.9 14,611 1.1 17,685 1.3

1999–2000 12,313 0.9 12,017 0.9 15,769 1.2 20,143 1.5

2000–01 17,033 1.3 16,965 1.2 18,844 1.4 24,976 1.8

2001–02 20,833 1.6 20,901 1.6 20,036 1.5 19,973 1.5

2002–03 14,808 1.1 14,826 1.1 17,706 1.3 19,914 1.4

2003–04 14,092 1.1 14,364 1.0 17,782 1.3 20,065 1.4

2004–05 14,677 1.1 14,931 1.1 17,402 1.3 ⁽³¹⁾— ⁽³¹⁾—

⁽³¹⁾ Quarter 4 2004–05 data are not available
Source:
Department of Health www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity

	Quarter 1	Quarter 2	Quarter 3	Quarter 4
	Number of cancelled operations	Per 100 elective admissions	Number of cancelled operations	Per 100 elective admissions	Number of cancelled operations	Per 100 elective admissions	Number of cancelled operations	Per 100 elective admissions
1994–95	11,603	1.1	10,186	0.9	11,874	1	14,466	1.2
1995–96	11,860	1	11,457	1	14,514	1.2	16,652	1.3
1996–97	11,595	1	11,055	0.9	13,023	1.1	16,374	1.4
1997–98	12,019	1	11,550	1	12,476	1	14,460	1.2
1998–99	12,384	1	11,470	0.9	14,611	1.1	17,685	1.3
1999–2000	12,313	0.9	12,017	0.9	15,769	1.2	20,143	1.5
2000–01	17,033	1.3	16,965	1.2	18,844	1.4	24,976	1.8
2001–02	20,833	1.6	20,901	1.6	20,036	1.5	19,973	1.5
2002–03	14,808	1.1	14,826	1.1	17,706	1.3	19,914	1.4
2003–04	14,092	1.1	14,364	1.0	17,782	1.3	20,065	1.4
2004–05	14,677	1.1	14,931	1.1	17,402	1.3	⁽³¹⁾—	⁽³¹⁾—

Chiropody

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government's plans are regarding the compilation and publication of the KT23 figures on chiropody; and if he will make a statement. [223308]

Dr. Ladyman [holding answer 22 March 2005]: The Department plans to publish KT23 figures for the year 2004–05 in September.

As part of the initiative to reduce the burden of bureaucracy in the national health service, the KT23 return was reviewed during 2004. As a result of this review, the return is to be discontinued from 1 April 2005. The total number of chiropody and podiatry contacts will continue to be collected by the Department for reference costing purposes.

Critical Care

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the optimal staffing levels for (a) level 1, (b) level 2 and (c) level 3 critical care beds; and what the average staffing levels have been in England for each level in each year since 1997. [222828]

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Mr. Hutton: It is for national health service trusts to assess staffing within critical care, taking account of levels of patient dependency, and to ensure that there is an appropriate mix of staff to undertake the various tasks required of the service.

The information requested on average staffing levels for levels one, two and three care is not collected centrally.

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Dentistry

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices in Merseyside are accepting (a) children, (b) pensioners and (c) adult NHS patients, broken down by primary care trust. [223382]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information is shown in the table.

Providing occasional national health service treatment to non registered patients Registering charge exempt adults for NHS treatment Registering charge paying adults for NHS treatment Registering children aged 0–18 years for NHS treatment

Cheshire and Merseyside strategic health authority 139 170 164 219

Bebington and West Wirral primary care trust 9 13 13 14

Birkenhead and Wallasey PCT 18 20 19 23

Central Cheshire PCT 4 7 4 15

Central Liverpool PCT 20 18 18 22

Cheshire West PCT 9 13 10 16

Eastern Cheshire PCT 3 3 3 15

Ellesmere Port and Neston PCT 9 8 9 9

Halton PCT 4 12 12 13

Knowsley PCT 12 17 17 16

North Liverpool PCT 14 15 15 15

South Liverpool PCT 544 4 — —

South Sefton PCT 16 19 19 20

Southport and Formby PCT 5 — — 1

St. Helens PCT 11 16 16 17

Warrington PCT — 5 5 19

Note:
The totals do not differentiate between pensioners and adult patients. However, it does differentiate between charge exempt" and charge paying" adults.
Source:
www.nhs.uk (11 March 2005)

	Providing occasional national health service treatment to non registered patients	Registering charge exempt adults for NHS treatment	Registering charge paying adults for NHS treatment	Registering children aged 0–18 years for NHS treatment
Cheshire and Merseyside strategic health authority	139	170	164	219
Bebington and West Wirral primary care trust	9	13	13	14
Birkenhead and Wallasey PCT	18	20	19	23
Central Cheshire PCT	4	7	4	15
Central Liverpool PCT	20	18	18	22
Cheshire West PCT	9	13	10	16
Eastern Cheshire PCT	3	3	3	15
Ellesmere Port and Neston PCT	9	8	9	9
Halton PCT	4	12	12	13
Knowsley PCT	12	17	17	16
North Liverpool PCT	14	15	15	15
South Liverpool PCT	544	4	—	—
South Sefton PCT	16	19	19	20
Southport and Formby PCT	5	—	—	1
St. Helens PCT	11	16	16	17
Warrington PCT	—	5	5	19

Deafness

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health through what mechanism he plans to ensure that the guidelines in the National Institute for Mental Health in England and Department of Health report, Mental Health and Deafness—Towards Equity and Access"—Best Practice Guide, are effectively implemented. [222468]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The guidelines outlined in Towards Equity and Access" will be implemented by primary care trusts in the normal way for national health service developments. They will be assisted in this task by an implementation group drawn from the voluntary sector, the National Institute for Mental Health in England and the providers of specialist services.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the total cost is of providing a digital hearing aid on the NHS including (a) assessment, (b) fitting, (c) follow-up and (d) purchase of the aid; [221995]

(2) what the (a) assessment, (b) fitting and (c) follow-up costs for a (i) digital hearing aid and (ii) an analogue hearing aid are; [221996]

(3) what costs are included in the NHS reference cost for the (a) assessment, (b) fitting and (c) follow-up of digital hearing aids on the NHS. [222687]

Dr. Ladyman: The Department collects unit cost and activity data from all national health service providers in England each financial year. This information is available on the Department's website at http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/OrganisationPolicy/FinanceAndPlanning/NHSReferenceCosts/fs/en.

The latest data available are for the financial year 2003–04, but, following a change in accounting procedures, data on the costs of digital hearing aids are no longer included. For analogue aids the data show:

The average cost of an attendance with provision of a standard analogue aid was £63.

The average cost of an attendance with provision of a superior analogue aid (including directional control) was £88.

Under the heading of the fitting of hearing aids and counselling (including tinnitus) the average costs were:

Assessment—£50

Fitting—£57

Follow-up—£36.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2005, Official Report, column 986W, on digital hearing aids, how many students he expects to graduate in the BSc in audiology in the next four years; how many such graduates he expects to recruit to the NHS; and how many patient journeys he expects to be added to capacity over that period. [222685]

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Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is not collected centrally. Strategic health authorities (SHAs) plan to commission 171 Bachelors of Science in Audiology training places in 2004–05.

In line with our policy of shifting the balance of power, it is for primary care trusts (PCTs), in partnership with SHAs and other local stakeholders, to plan, develop and improve services for local people, including audiology services.

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