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24 Oct 2005 : Column 179W—continued
Health Staff (Duty of Care)
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) doctors' and (b) nurses' duty of care is to patients (i) before death and (ii) after death. [18281]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The doctors' Hippocratic Oath and nurses' professional code of conduct both clearly outline the duty of care to patients that each profession has. Each national health service trust has a clear policy on how to care for both the body of a deceased patient and his or her relatives with sensitivity and respect.
Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Strategic Health Authority
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the outturn against planned expenditure for Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire strategic health authority in 2005–06; and what the predicted outturn is for (a) 2006–07 and (b) 2007–08. [20424]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 21 October 2005]: The latest data available on the financial position of national health service organisations—strategic health authority (SHAs), primary care trusts and NHS trusts—is for 2004–05.
The deficit for the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire SHA economy for 2004–05 was £61 million.
We are expecting a similar position in 2005–06, but we expect to see significant improvements in 2006–07 and 2007–08.
HIV/AIDS
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on what grounds HIV treatment is available free of charge to people living in England; [18671]
(2) what the policy on charging overseas visitors to the United Kingdom for HIV treatment in England is. [18672]
Jane Kennedy: Anyone who is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom is eligible to receive national health service hospital treatment, including HIV treatment, free of charge, subject to any statutory charges that may apply, such as prescription charges.
The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989, as amended, specify that anyone who is not ordinarily resident in the UK must be treated as an overseas visitor, and is liable to pay for any NHS hospital treatment received unless they meet one of the exemption criteria in the regulations. One such exemption covers the initial diagnostic testing for HIV/AIDS and any associated counselling, so that these are free to all irrespective of residency status. Subsequent treatment, however, should the test prove positive, is not free to all and an overseas visitor who is not otherwise exempt under one of the other criteria is expected to pay for any HIV/AIDS treatment they receive.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many babies have contracted HIV/AIDS from their HIV positive mothers during (a) pregnancy and (b) birth in each of the last five years for which records are available. [18323]
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Caroline Flint: It is not possible to distinguish between infections acquired during pregnancy and at delivery. The number of infants known to have been infected through mother to child transmission is available. Data on HIV in infants is available from the national study of HIV in pregnancy and childhood (NSHPC), the national surveillance system for diagnosed obstetric and paediatric HIV, based at the Institute of Child Health. Estimates of the total number of HIV positive women giving birth, diagnosed and undiagnosed, are available from the unlinked anonymous survey of HIV sero-prevalence in pregnant women co-ordinated by the Health Protection Agency.
The numbers of infants infected by their HIV positive mothers, born in the United Kingdom since 1999 and reported to the NSHPC to date are shown in table one. This table does not include any infected children who were well following birth and have not yet been diagnosed, nor any who have been reported but whose infection status has not yet been clarified (likely to be small numbers).
Note:
Includes reports received by end of September 2005, subject to reporting delay.
Hospital Staffing
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many agency staff have been employed in the Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust (a) as doctors, (b) as nurses and (c) in other capacities in each of the last five years. [18013]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally.
Hypertension
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the incidence of hypertension has been in each year since 1997. [18353]
Mr. Byrne: Information is not available in exactly the form requested. The Health Survey for England records annual prevalence data, which are shown in the table.
Notes:
1. Because the 1999 survey focused on the health of ethnic minorities, no results are available for the general population in England.
2. The survey defines hypertension as high blood pressure when above the threshold of 140/90 mmHg or on treatment".
Source:
Health Survey for England.
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Influenza Vaccine
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what quantities of influenza drugs her Department plans to stockpile in preparation for a potential avian influenza pandemic. [20823]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 21 October 2005]: We have ordered 14.6 million antiviral doses to treat the 25 per cent. of the population who may become ill in an influenza pandemic. Deliveries began in August and our delivery schedule indicates that the stockpile should be complete by September 2006.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which manufacturers supply winter influenza vaccines to the NHS. [18370]
Caroline Flint: The following manufacturers supply flu vaccines: Sanofi Pasteur MSD, Chiron Vaccines, GlaxoSmithKline, MASTA, Solvay Healthcare and Wyeth Vaccines.
Details of which manufacturers are supplying flu vaccine for this year's flu campaign are provided each year in a Chief Medical Officer's letter and is available on the Department's website at: www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/ll/65/17/04116517.pdf.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued on the most effective time during the year for winter influenza vaccines to be administered to at-risk groups. [18371]
Caroline Flint: Guidance issued in Immunisation against Infectious Disease", the Green book", and in national health service information materials recommends that flu vaccine be given before the main flu season. We suggest that the vaccine is offered from September to early November. However, it can be given up until the time that the flu virus starts to circulate.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure continuity of supply of influenza vaccine. [18372]
Caroline Flint: General practitioner practices make their own contractual arrangements with vaccine manufacturers for the supply of seasonal flu vaccine. At the beginning of the year, departmental officials met with manufacturers to discuss supply arrangements and the number of vaccine doses required for this year's flu campaign. The Department is also purchasing a contingency stock of seasonal flu vaccine that can be made available to minimise any problem in supply to GPs.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much (a) influenza vaccine and (b) H5N1 vaccine has been allocated to the Dorset and Somerset health authority area; and if she will make a statement. [19784]
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Caroline Flint [holding answer 20 October 2005]: Information on influenza vaccine allocations is not held centrally or by Dorset and Somerset strategic health authority or the individual primary care trusts. Each general practice orders the amount of influenza vaccine they require based on their practice list and the number of people they have in vulnerable and at risk groups.
A tender has been issued for H5N1 vaccine, which could be offered to health care workers in the event of a pandemic. This vaccine is not currently available but the plan is to hold stocks centrally when it is delivered.
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