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14 Jul 2005 : Column 1198W—continued
Nursing Homes (Southend)
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been allocated for the improvement and renovation of nursing homes in the Southend West constituency in 2005–06. [9928]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected. Care homes are private businesses making commercial/decisions on when and how much to spend on improvements and renovations. However, over the last three years the Government have provided for an average of 3 per cent., per annum growth in real terms in spending on social services. Local councils have the freedom to use these resources to provide services for older people in care homes, taking account of local circumstances and priorities.
Older People (Medication Review)
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will publish part two of the Taskforce on Medicine Partnership's evaluation of Room for Review. [6660]
Jane Kennedy: Part one of the evaluation of Room for Review was published on 21 March 2005. A copy is available through the Medicines Partnership's website at: www.medicines-partnership.org/medication-review/room-for-review/impact-evaluation. Part two of the evaluation will be published in summer 2005.
Physiotherapist Vacancies
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies there were for physiotherapists in England and Wales in 2004. [10774]
Mr. Byrne: The national health survey collects information on the number of vacancies lasting three months or more for physiotherapists in England. As at March 2004, there were 626 three-month vacancies for physiotherapists which represents a rate of 4.1 per cent., a fall from 4.7 per cent. the previous year.
Information for Wales is a matter for the devolved Administration.
Pregnancy-related Deaths
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women aged (a) 14 to 16 years, (b) 17 to 21 years, (c) 22 to 24 years, (d) 25 to 30 years, (e) 31 to 35 years and (f) 36 to 40 years have died from pregnancy-related diseases in each year since 1976. [11046]
Mr. Byrne:
The confidential enquiry into maternal deaths (CEMD) collects information relating to women dying from pregnancy-related conditions. Data is collected over three-year periods and is shown in the tables. From 1976 to 1987, this covered England and Wales only and also included only deaths directly related to obstetric complications. From 1988, however, data became available for the whole of the United Kingdom, which comprises both deaths directly and indirectly related to obstetric complications.
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Primary Care Funding (Isle of Wight)
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what statutory powers (a) money is provided by her Department for the development of primary care premises in Sandown, Isle of Wight, (b) decisions about the allocation of money are made by a premises development group (PDG), (c) the composition of the group is determined, (d) conditions are laid down by the PDG after funding has been agreed and (e) the PDG can withdraw funding. [11180]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 11 July 2005]: The majority of funding for premises development became part of the unified allocations in April 2004. Unified allocations are made by the Secretary of State under the National Health Service Act 1977.
The Government are committed to improving the infrastructure of primary care by modernising service delivery, access and choice in the NHS. Increased funding has been made available to primary care trusts (PCTs) to implement these service improvements. Consequently, the modernisation of primary health care premises is determined locally by consultation between PCTs and general practitioner practices.
We asked each strategic health authority to establish a mechanism for distributing premises development funding within their local health community. In the Isle of Wight, the chosen method was the premises development group whose composition and conditions is set out by the local PCTs.
Residential/Nursing Homes
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to involve pharmacists in developing and providing accredited training for care staff in residential and nursing homes. [10738]
Mr. Byrne
[holding answer 12 July 2005]: Medication is one of the four key areas of the knowledge and skills sets being developed by Skills for Care in England. The
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chief pharmacist for the Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society are helping with this development work.
Right to Life
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to promote the equal status and rights of people with disabilities, including the right to life. [10599]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Government are fully committed to the national health service offering equal access for all, irrespective of disability, race, gender, sexual orientation, faith and age.
Smog Warning
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effect of pollution sufficient to trigger a smog warning on the respiratory system. [11179]
Caroline Flint: The Department is advised on the consequences for health of exposure to air pollutants by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP). COMEAP has published a series of reports dealing with a variety of pollutants and their effects on health. These are available on the COMEAP website at http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/comeap/. The effects of different levels of air pollutants have been considered and a statement on this has also been published on the COMEAP web site 1 .
This advice has been provided to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and forms the basis for its decisions regarding the provision of information in the form of smog warnings.
Social Care Institute for Excellence
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost to the Department of the Social Care Institute for Excellence in each year since its inception; and what assessment she has made of its effectiveness. [10077]
Mr. Byrne: The costs to the Department of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) in each year since its inception are shown in the table.
| Grant (£ million) | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 1.043 |
| 2002–03 | 3.195 |
| 2003–04 | 4.750 |
| 2004–05 | (6)4.430 |
(6) In addition, £2.843 million was allocated mid-year.
Note:
Figures in the table are rounded to nearest £1,000.
There has been a formal service level agreement in place between the SCIE and the Department since October 2001. This confirms the annual accountability arrangements for reviewing the SCIE's effectiveness and appropriate use of Departmental funding, as prescribed under powers granted in section 64 of the Health
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Services and Public Health Act 1968. The use and purpose of allocated annual Departmental grants and agreed performance indicators are stipulated and these are set against agreed policy objectives and future funding needs. The most recent annual accountability review took place on 22 June 2005.
The Government are satisfied with these governance arrangements and acknowledges the SCIE's significant contribution to improving the experience of social care users.
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