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Health Finance (Oxfordshire)

Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been allocated to each of the health trusts serving Oxfordshire for 2005–06; and what the amount was in each of the previous five years. [4571]

Caroline Flint [holding answer 16 June 2005]: In 2000–01 to 2002–03, revenue allocations were made to health authorities (HAs). Table 1 shows the 2000–01 to 2002–03 revenue allocations to Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire HAs. This area is now covered by Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority (SHA).
Table 1: Revenue allocations to HAs 2000–01 to 2002–03

HA name	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Berkshire	484,623	527,723	588,572
Buckinghamshire	407,599	443,321	493,959
Oxfordshire	364,378	396,426	445,458

 
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2003–04 was the first time revenue allocations were made to primary care trusts (PCTs) for three years. Thames Valley SHA covers the Oxfordshire area. Table 2 shows the allocations made to those PCTs covered by the Thames Valley SHA for 2003–04 to 2005–06.
Table 2: Revenue allocations to PCTs within Thames Valley SHA

PCT name	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06
Bracknell Forest	76,897	83,840	91 ,268
Newbury and Community	74,039	81,251	89,016
Reading	160,450	175,771	192,392
Slough	98,923	108,728	119,200
Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead	129,700	141,407	153,916
Wokingham	100,104	109,406	119,512
Chiltern and South Bucks	117,675	128,126	139,308
Milton Keynes	167,638	183,498	200,679
Vale of Aylesbury	143,593	157,179	171,899
Wycombe	107,852	117,956	128,925
Cherwell Vale	91,592	100,434	109,922
North East Oxfordshire	50,193	54,983	60,151
Oxford City	142,974	155,681	169,243
South East Oxfordshire	57,710	63,163	69,075
South West Oxfordshire	139,950	152,859	166,890

Note:
Comparisons cannot be made between allocation rounds. Prior to 2003–04 revenue allocations were made to HAs on an annual basis. In 2003–04, revenue allocations were for the first time made direct to PCTs for three years. In addition, comparisons cannot be made between allocations rounds, as the services covered by each allocation round may vary.

Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports she has received of financial difficulties facing health trusts in Oxfordshire; and if she will make a statement. [4572]

Caroline Flint [holding answer 16 June 2005]: There have been no representations from Oxfordshire nationalhealth service trusts about financial difficulties. Oxfordshire health trusts all submitted balanced delivery plans.

It is now the responsibility of strategic health authorities to deliver both overall financial balance for their local health communities and to ensure the local NHS achieves financial balance.

Hearing Aids

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for digital hearing aids is in (a) Devon and (b) England. [4779]

Mr. Byrne [holding answer 16 June 2005]: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Heart Disease (Children)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have been treated for heart disease; how many have been screened for signs of heartdefects; and how many children have died fromheart-related conditions in each of the last five years. [4466]

Mr. Byrne: Table 1 following shows numbers of admissions for cardiac conditions for children under 16 in England in the last five years for which data is available.
 
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Table 1

	Admissions
1999–2000	2,125
2000–01	2,089
2001–02	2,232
2002–03	2,312
2003–04	2,475

Source:
Hospital episode statistics, Health and Social Care Information Centre. Figures are for cardiac conditions as a primary diagnosis. Patients may have more than one admission in a year.

No data is available on screening of children for signs of heart defects.

Table 2 following shows the latest available data on child deaths from heart-related conditions. In this table, children are defined as those under 16 years old, including neonates.
Table 2

	Deaths
1999	872
2000	781
2001	667
2002	621
2003	663

Source:
Office of National Statistics mortality data. Figures are for all deaths in England and Wales where heart disease is mentioned in the death certificate and include congenital malformations.

Hemel Hempstead Hospital

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received on changes to services at Hemel Hempstead hospital. [3991]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Since 1 January 2004, the Department has received several written representations from the hon. Member, hon. and right hon. Members both past and present and members of the public about Hemel Hempstead hospital.

Hepatitis C

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will update the Action Plan on hepatitis C. [3137]

Caroline Flint: The Hepatitis C Action Plan was published in July 2004. It serves as a broad framework for implementation of the Government's Hepatitis C Strategy for England Many of the actions set out in the plan will take time to effect. Implementation of the plan will be assessed via ongoing epidemiological surveillance and performance management. There are currently no plans to update the action plan.
 
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Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of people infected with hepatitis C; and how many people are currently receiving treatment for it. [4461]

Caroline Flint: It is estimated that around 200,000 people in England have been chronically infected with hepatitis C, though the majority may not be aware of their infection.

Currently treatment is not recommended for all patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C. In 2004, the then National Institute for Clinical Excellence, now the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, recommended treatment for cases of moderate to severe chronic hepatitis. Cases with mild disease should remain under observation. Treatment is for a finite time; either six or 12 months. The Department does not hold figures for those currently receiving treatment.

Hertfordshire Hospitals

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list Hertfordshire hospitals which had ward closures in each year since May 1997, broken down by medical specialty. [4001]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the opening and closing of wards is commonplace, to reflect demand and operational need at individual national health service trusts.

London Ambulance Service

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response her Department has made to the London Ambulance Service Patients Forum's letter of 11 May concerning the proliferation of mimic emergency ambulances in London. [3305]

Mr. Byrne: A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the change in spending on mental health services has been in cash terms and as a percentage of overall NHS spending in each of the last five years. [4637]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The latest information available on national health service hospital and community health service (HCHS) expenditure is at 31 March 2003. The data shown in the table excludes social care spend on people with mental health problems and expenditure concerning people treated in primary care for whom specific diagnosis has not been reached. The figures therefore underestimate the total mental health expenditure.
Mental health service: NHS HCHS programme gross expenditure in cash terms over the five years from 1998–99 to 2002–03 in England

	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Gross expenditure (cash terms)
Total mental health (£ million)	3,051	3,411	3,826	4,062	4,598
Total increase in cash terms (£ million)	—	360	415	236	536
Total HCHS	25,494	27,633	30,099	31,977	35,087
Mental health proportion (percentages)	11.97	12.34	12.71	12.70	13.11

 
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