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18 Oct 2005 : Column 900W—continued
Ambulance Service
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been since November 2003 in the information that is collected centrally by her Department on performance by ambulance trusts against response time targets; and if she will make it her policy to pass on parliamentary questions from hon. Members concerning the operation of ambulance trusts directly to those trusts in cases where her Department does not hold the information centrally. [13146]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 18 July 2005]: The only change made since November 2003 to the data collected is that, from 1 October 2004, information about category B and C emergency calls is collected separately; prior to this date category B and C calls were grouped together. This published information is used to form the basis of replies to hon. and right hon. Members' questions. We always try to be as helpful to Members as possible but, on occasions, this may mean indicating that information is not held centrally. It is always opento hon. and right hon. Members to pursue queries about individual organisations with those organisations themselves direct.
Breast-feeding
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of women have breast-fed their babies in each of the last five years for up to (a) a week, (b) a month, (c) six months and (d) a year. [18813]
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Caroline Flint: The infant feeding survey 2000 recorded the prevalence of breast-feeding for infants at ages up to nine months for England and Wales. This information is shown in the table.
| Age of infants | Percentage |
|---|---|
| One week | 57 |
| Six weeks | 54 |
| Four months | 29 |
| Six months | 22 |
| Nine months | 14 |
Figures for the prevalence of breast-feeding each year since 2000 are not available. However, the 2005 infant feeding survey is currently under way and results are expected to be published in 2007.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her Department's guidance on the optimum period for breast-feeding is; and whether she plans to submit this guidance to expert review. [18814]
Caroline Flint: The Department recommends exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months of an infant's life. This is in line with advice provided by the scientific advisory committee on nutrition (SACN), following the World Health Organisation's (WHO) review on the optimal duration of exclusive breast-feeding in 2001.
The Department also recommends that breast-feeding, and/or breast milk substitutes, if used, should continue beyond the first six months along with appropriate types and amounts of solid foods. Mothers who are unable to, or choose not to, follow these recommendations should be supported to optimise their infants' nutrition. There are currently no plans to undertake a further expert review.
Cancelled Operations
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cancelled operations there have been at the Eastbourne district general hospital in each of the last 12 months. [17242]
Caroline Flint: Data on cancelled operations is not collected at hospital level. However, the data is available for national health service trusts. Data is shown in the table for East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages Eastbourne district hospital, for the last four quarters—monthly data is not collected. The data shown and collected is the number of operations cancelled at the last minute rather than the total number of cancelled operations.
| Quarter | Strategic health authority code | Number | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–06 | 1 | Q19 | 188 |
| 2004–05 | 4 | Q19 | 284 |
| 2004–05 | 3 | Q19 | 79 |
| 2004–05 | 2 | Q19 | 144 |
Note:
Figures taken from cancelled operations for non clinical reasons, NHS organisations in England
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The data is available on the Department's website at:
Childhood Obesity
Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of children in the South Swindon area are estimated to be obese. [18773]
Caroline Flint: The Department does not hold this information in the format requested.
Clostridium Difficile
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action her Department is taking to reduce cases of Clostridium difficile within the North West London Hospitals Trust; and if she will make a statement. [16896]
Jane Kennedy: The Department has taken no action as this is a matter for the local national health service.
However, action taken to counter the incidence of health care associated infections in general will help reduce all infections, including Clostridium difficile associated diarrhoea. Specific national initiatives for Clostridium difficile include reviewing the guidance on dealing with outbreaks and adding it to Saving lives: a delivery programme to reduce healthcare associated infections including MRSA".
Delayed Transfers of Care
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many delayed transfers of care there were at (a) Eastbourne district general hospital and (b) the East Sussex Hospital Trust in each of the last 12 months. [17241]
Caroline Flint: Data for delayed transfers of care is not collected at hospital level, but by national health service trust. Data for East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages Eastbourne district general hospital, is shown in the table.
| Delayed transfers of care | |
|---|---|
| 2004 | |
| October | 55 |
| November | 53 |
| December | 60 |
| 2005 | |
| January | 78 |
| February | 64 |
| March | 47 |
| April | 50 |
| May | 63 |
| June | 82 |
| July | 81 |
| August | 64 |
| September | 66 |
This data is taken from delayed transfers of care at East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust obtained from the SITREPs collection. These figures are based on a snapshot taken on the last typical Thursday in the month.
18 Oct 2005 : Column 903W
East Sussex Chief Executive
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the terms were of the severance package agreed for the outgoing chief executive of East Sussex Hospitals Trust. [17411]
Caroline Flint: This information requested is not held by the Department. This is an employment matter between the trust and its former employee. Surrey and Sussex strategic health authority, the local headquarters of the national health service, has advised that the trust intends to publish the details of this package in the next annual accounts.
Emergency Contraception
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions for emergency contraception were issued in the Southend primary care trust area in the last year for which figures are available. [15649]
Caroline Flint: During the financial year 2004–05, there were 618 prescriptions for emergency hormonal contraception written by general practitioners and nurse prescribers within primary care in Southend-on-Sea, excluding hospital clinics.
Information about the number of prescriptions issued by family planning clinics managed by Southend-on-Sea primary care trust may be found in table 12 of NHS Contraceptive Services, England: 2003–04", which is available in the Library and on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/09/00/22/0409022.pdf. Data for 2004–05 will be published on 28 October.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions of the morning-after pill there were in (a) Essex and (b) Bedford and Hertfordshire strategic health authority in the last 10 years for which figures are available, broken down by age of recipient. [15471]
Caroline Flint: The available information is shown in the tables.
(9)Data by age is not available
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