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1 Nov 2005 : Column 967W—continued
General Social Care Council
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to make decisions concerning further groups to be registered with the General Social Care Council. [20636]
Mr. Byrne: On 21 July 2005, I announced plans to register the next groups of staff in the social care workforce. These include domiciliary and residential care staff, working with both children and adults. Officials are working with the General Social Care Council on a timetable for implementation of these changes and are developing plans to roll out registration to other groups of social care workers in a manageable way.
Heart By-pass Surgery (Southend)
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for NHS heart by-pass surgery was in Southend in the last period for which figures are available. [20613]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The latest available data is for the year ending April 2004. This shows that the average time waited, based on elective finished in-year admissions, for national health service heart by-pass surgery for those residents within Southend-on-Sea Primary Care Trust area is 107 days.
1. A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the datayear. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. Time waited (days)—time waited statistics from hospital episode statistics (HES) are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. HES provides counts and time waited for all patients admitted to hospital within a given period, whereas the published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment on a specific date and how long they have been on the waiting list. Also, HES calculates the time waited as the difference between the admission and decision to admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension.
HES, Health and Social Care Information Centre.
Hospital Staffing
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether Ministers have issued revised guidance to trusts on the employment of doctors in senior house officer or equivalent posts in paediatric services. [18064]
Mr. Byrne: Ministers have not issued any revised guidance to trusts over the employment of doctors in senior house officer or equivalent posts in paediatric services.
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many junior doctors are seeking posts. [18065]
Mr. Byrne: Information on the number of junior doctors currently seeking posts is not collected centrally.
A snapshot survey of postgraduate deaneries established that as at early August 2005, 136 pre-registration house officers (PRHOs) in England did not have a substantive senior house officer (SHO) or
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equivalent post to move to upon the expiry of their PRHO contract. This number had reduced to around 100 by early September 2005 and we expect it to have reduced further as more SHO opportunities become available.
Hospital Waiting Times
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department provides on reducing waiting times in NHS hospitals. [20070]
Mr. Byrne: Guidance including practical tools and techniques for reducing and maintaining patient waiting times is available on the NHS Modernisation Agency's website at:
Influenza
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the at-risk population of (a) the Kettering primary care trust area, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) England is expected to be inoculated against existing strains of influenza by 31 December. [20281]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 21 October 2005]: Under the new inspection system national targets are no longer set. Targets are now a local decision. In the chief medical officer letter to health professionals dated 25 July, he said that continued improvement of uptake rates across all groups should be encouraged.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) strategic health authorities and (b) primary care trusts (PCTs) have influenza pandemic co-ordinators; and how many PCTs have an influenza planning committee. [20851]
Caroline Flint: As stated in the UK Influenza Contingency Plan", individual strategic health authorities and primary care trusts are responsible for nominating influenza pandemic coordinators and this information is not collated centrally.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she intends to purchase a stockpile of gloves and masks for use by (a) health professionals and (b) the public in the event of an avian influenza pandemic. [20854]
Caroline Flint: The Department and the Health Protection Agency have just completed a review of the evidence on which its infection control advice is based and this was published on 19 October 2005. The guidance covers the level and type of protective measures and equipment required to deal with an influenza pandemic. The stock levels normally available in the national health service and its supply chain are also being reviewed and supplies of essential material will be augmented by further stockpiles if mathematical modelling indicates that this is appropriate.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued to general practitioners on steps they should take to prioritise care in the event of an avian influenza pandemic. [20855]
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Caroline Flint: The UK Pandemic Influenza Contingent Plan" provides advice to the national health service and others on the potential impact that a flu pandemic may have on the United Kingdom, and the need for the NHS to develop plans to manage during such an eventuality.
We are in the process of sending information packs to general practitioners regarding preparations for an influenza pandemic. As outlined in the plan, primary care trusts are responsible for developing plans that take into account local needs. We have published Operational Guidance for Health Service Planners" to help them do this effectively.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will ask the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to produce guidance on the optimal use of antivirals during an influenza pandemic. [20860]
Caroline Flint: We are already working with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) regarding the optimal use of antivirals. NICE representatives attended the Department's modelling sub-group of the scientific advisory group, which advises us on various issues including antiviral usage.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to support the development of reverse genetics technology in the production of vaccines against influenza. [20861]
Caroline Flint: This technique is already in operational use at the National Institute of Biological Research.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will agree with influenza vaccine manufacturers an advanced purchase order for a vaccine against the pandemic strain of influenza to be produced as soon as the strain has been identified. [20863]
Caroline Flint: On 19 October 2005, we invited manufacturers to tender for a contract to supply pandemic flu vaccine once the pandemic strain is known. The United Kingdom will need approximately 120 million doses to be available as soon as possible.
Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the at risk population of (a) Staffordshire and (b) the West Midlands are expected to be inoculated against existing strains of influenza by the end of 2005; and if she will make a statement. [19930]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Under the changed inspection system, new national targets are no longer set. Targets are now a local decision and can be set by primary care trusts. In his letter to health professionals of 25 July, the Chief Medical Officer said that continued improvement of uptake rates across all groups should be encouraged.
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