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24 Mar 2005 : Column 1049W—continued
Pudsey
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Pudsey constituency, the effects of changes to departmental policy since 1997 on Pudsey constituency. [223568]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Government have put in place a programme of national health service investment and reform since 1997 to improve service delivery in all parts of the United Kingdom. There is significant evidence that these policies have yielded considerable benefits for the Pudsey constituency.
At the end of January 2005, the number of people waiting more than nine months for inpatient treatment within Leeds North West Primary Care Trust (PCT) had fallen to 0, from 230 in June 2002.
At the end of December 2004 the number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for out-patient treatment within Leeds North West PCT had fallen to 201, from 928 in June 2002.
Figures for December 2004 show that all patients within Leeds North West PCT are able to be offered an appointment with a primary care professional within two working days, an improvement from 85.7 per cent. in June 2002.
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Leeds North West PCTs financial allocation increased to £158.3 million for 2004–05 a real terms increase of 6.4 per cent.
In June 2003, at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, 88.7 per cent. of patients spent less than four hours in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge. Figures for December 2004 show an improvement to 93 per cent.
Between September 2000 and September 2003 the number of consultants at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has increased from 437 to 538. The number of nurses increased from 4,461 to 4,783.
In the Leeds local authority area death rates from cancer per 100,000 population have fallen to 196.3 in 2003, from 203.3 in 1997.
In the Leeds local authority area death rates from coronary heart disease per 100,000 population have fallen to 127.5 in 2003, from 156.6 in 1997.
In November 2003, an additional computed tomography (CT) scanner was delivered to Cookridge hospital.
In March 2002, a replacement CT scanner was delivered to Leeds General Infirmary.
In June 2002, an additional CT scanner was delivered to Cookridge hospital.
In April 2001, an additional magnetic resonance imaging scanner was delivered to Cookridge hospital.
In October 2001, two replacement linear accelerators were delivered to Cookridge hospital.
In February 2003, a replacement cardiac catheter laboratory was delivered to Cookridge hospital.
In November 2004, one additional and one replacement linear accelerator were delivered to the Yorkshire Regional Centre for Cancer. Two replacement linear accelerators will be delivered in September 2006.
The Joint Local Investment Finance Trust scheme, involving Leeds West PCT, Leeds North West PCT, Leeds North East PCT, East Leeds PCT and South Leeds PCT, with a capital value of £19.7 million. The scheme includes two GP practices plus addiction services, midwifery and school nursing for Woodhouse Primary Care Centre, two general practitioner (GP) practices, health visiting, speech therapy and addiction services for Armley Primary Care Centre and four GP practices, district nursing, health visiting and midwifery for Dewsbury Road Centre.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the staff complement for his Department was in each of the last nine years. [222867]
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Ms Rosie Winterton: Information on the staff complement for the Department for the last nine years is shown in the table. This information is available at www.civilservice.gov.uk/management information/statistical information/statistics/archived data/archived data on staff in post/index.asp.
As at 1 April | Number full-time equivalent permanent staff |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 2,750 |
| 2003 | 3,150 |
| 2002 | 3,440 |
| 2001 | 3,640 |
| 2000 | 3,570 |
| 1999 | 3,543 |
| 1998 | 3,491 |
| 1997 | 3,683 |
| 1996 | 3,732 |
Digital Hearing Aids
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many NHS trusts have the necessary (a) facilities and (b) staff to fit digital hearing aids; [222190]
(2) if he will make a statement on the process for assessing the quality of audiology services in hospitals; [222191]
(3) what measures were taken to prepare primary care trusts for the modernising hearing aid services programme; and if he will make a statement; [222192]
(4) what plans he has to collate centrally statistics on waiting times relating to the modernising hearing aid service project; and if he will make a statement. [222193]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department has invested £125 million into the modernising hearing aid services (MHAS) project since it started in September 2000. This project is being managed on behalf of the Department by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID).
All national health service audiology departments, which are part of the MHAS project, within England have a named lead primary care trust (PCT) which acts on behalf of all those PCTs which commission audiology services from each NHS trust.
In spring 2004, the RNID undertook a comprehensive series of 26 seminars across England to promote the benefits of the MHAS project. All PCTs and strategic health authorities were invited to attend these events.
95 per cent. of all NHS audiology departments in England are fitting digital hearing aids routinely to those people they have diagnosed as suitable and the few remaining departments will be offering the service by the end of March 2005.
The Healthcare Commission is responsible for regulating and inspecting NHS services, including audiology services.
There are no plans to centrally collate statistics on waiting times.
24 Mar 2005 : Column 1052W
Drug Users
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of problematic drug users are in treatment; and how many were in treatment on average in each of the last five years. [209617]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The percentage of problematic drug users that are in treatment, in England in 2003–04, is estimated to be around 45 per cent. 1
The number of people in treatment for drug misuse during the year in England is shown in the table.
The estimated figure of around 281,000 problematic drug users in England and Wales (Godfrey C, Eaton G, McDougall C & Culyer A (2002). The Economic and Social Costs of Class A Drug Use in England and Wales, 2000. Home Office Research Study 249.")
The assumption that problematic drug use levels in the population are the same in England and Wales Resident population estimates for England, 49.9 million, and Wales, 2.9 million, for 2003.
The 126,000 figure and methodology for numbers in treatment in England in 2003–04 Key statistics on drug misusers in treatment, England 2003–04", available at http://www.nta.nhs.uk.
| Number of people in treatment | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | Not available |
| 2000–01 | 118,500 |
| 2001–02 | (43)128,200 |
| 2002–03 | (43)140,900 |
| 2003–04 | (44)154,000 |
(43) Provisional data.
(44) This figure is used to allow for a more accurate comparison with previous years. As explained in: Bridging exercise comparing drug misuse treatment data 2002–03 and 2003–04", available at http://www.nta.nhs.uk, the method of measuring contact with drug treatment services has been changed and the definition tightened since data was collected in 2002–03. Based on the new methodology introduced in 2003–04, the total number of people actually recorded as being in contact with structured drug treatment in 2003–04 was 125,913. This figure is the total number of individuals whose treatment falls within the definition of structured drug treatment as defined by NTA's Models of Care as treatment following assessment and delivered according to a care plan, with clear goals, which is regularly reviewed with the client." This figure is used to produce the percentage data.
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