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2 Nov 2005 : Column 1133W—continued
Acute Hospitals (Bed Utilisation)
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average percentage level of bed utilisation in acute hospitals was in each year since 2000. [20504]
Mr. Byrne: Beds data are available at trust level. The table shows the average occupancy rate at acute trusts from 2000–01 to 2004–05.
| Average occupancy rate (percentage) | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 83.4 |
| 2001–02 | 84.3 |
| 2002–03 | 85.0 |
| 2003–04 | 85.4 |
| 2004–05 | 84.4 |
Source:
Department of Health form KH03.
Allergies
Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist consultants in allergies there were in the NHS in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement. [19759]
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Mr. Byrne: The number of medical consultants within the allergy specialities since 1997 is shown in the table.
| Headcount | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allergy | Immunology (with allergy) | Immunology | Total | |
| 1997 | — | 22 | 41 | 63 |
| 1998 | — | 20 | 41 | 61 |
| 1999 | — | 22 | 39 | 61 |
| 2000 | 6 | — | 49 | 55 |
| 2001 | 8 | — | 49 | 57 |
| 2002 | 17 | — | 63 | 80 |
| 2003 | 20 | — | 63 | 83 |
| 2004 | 26 | — | 67 | 93 |
Bed Closures
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effects she estimates planned community hospital and bed closures will have on NHS expenditure in the financial year (a) 2005–06 and (b) 2006–07. [17704]
Mr. Byrne: Making decisions on local healthcare provision is a matter for primary care trusts and strategic health authorities (SHAs) in consultation with the local population. Therefore, the Department is not in a position to estimate what effects local decisions on any changes in service will have on overall national health service expenditure. It remains the responsibility of SHAs to deliver overall financial balance for their local health communities and to ensure each and every body achieves financial balance.
Budget Deficits (Oxfordshire)
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the reasons for (a) the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust's, (b) the Oxfordshire Mental Healthcare Trust's and (c) Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust's budget deficit for 2005–06. [20399]
Ms Rosie Winterton: It is the responsibility of strategic health authorities to deliver financial balance for their local health communities. This includes working with organisations in deficit to ascertain the reasons for the deficit, and to manage the position locally in relation to the recovery of deficits. Any recovery plans developed by organisations must address the issue of making good the deficits in future years.
The Oxfordshire national health service bodies work in partnership with the Thames Valley strategic health authority, which has the expertise on how best to manage funds within the health economy.
Cataract Operations
John Hemming:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cataract operations have been performed by the independent sector on behalf of the NHS in each year since 1997; how many of these operations in each of these years have required the
2 Nov 2005 : Column 1135W
national health service to provide a follow-up service to patients with needs relating directly to their operation; and what the mean cost has been to the NHS of each such follow-up procedure each year. [17556]
Mr. Byrne: As part of the centrally procured independent sector treatment centre (ISTC) programme, Netcare has delivered over 18,000 ophthalmology procedures since February 2004. The Department does not collect figures on the cost of follow up treatment that may take place in the national health service, but all independent sector providers, working under the ISTC programme, have agreed local level service agreements to ensure suitable follow-up care arrangements for patients.
Children's Diet
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated for educating and advising parents on the benefits of a healthy diet for their children in 2005–06. [21035]
Caroline Flint: A total budget of £2 million has been allocated for the 5 A DAY programme for 2005–06, which includes promotion and education of the 5 A DAY message to parents and other population groups on the benefits of a healthy diet for their children. Also, as part of phase one of healthy start in Devon and Cornwall, approximately £50,000 has been allocated towards producing materials for beneficiaries that contain information and guidance on nutrition and healthy eating for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. Another £500,000 has been allocated in 2005–06 for the obesity social marketing campaign promised in the White Paper Choosing health". The campaign will take an early focus on children under 11 and their influences, primarily parents/carers.
There is an allocation of £200 million over the next three years for the improvement of school food, which could be used to educate pupils and parents in healthier eating at school. In addition, the School Food Trust is currently being set up with a budget of £15 million to support schools in making the transformation to healthy meals, giving independent support and advice to schools and parents.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is also a major source of information on food and nutrition. Although the FSA has not specifically allocated any resource to advise parents in this manner, their eatwell website (available at www.eatwell.gov.uk), together with life stage healthy eating leaflets and media features, continues to be an important tool that the Government use to provide parents with practical healthy eating advice for children and young people.
Clinical Negligence Payments
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what clinical negligence payments have been made by hospital trusts in (a) Essex and (b) London since 1997. [21066]
Ms Rosie Winterton:
Clinical negligence payments made by hospital trusts in Essex and London since April 2002 are shown in the table. Information on payments made before April 2002 is not held centrally.
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| Total (£) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Payment year | Essex | London |
| 2002–03 | 6,424,844 | 50,650,510 |
| 2003–04 | 6,343,622 | 69,814,682 |
| 2004–05 | 12,168,631 | 82,870,020 |
Consultant Referrals
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting times for consultant referrals were for each year since 2000. [18550]
Mr. Byrne: The median time waited for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant for each year since 2000 is shown in the table.
(47) Fourth quarter data.
Correspondence
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters to her Department from hon. Members in session (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06 remain unanswered, broken down by those which are (i) one month old, (ii) two months old, (iii) three months old, (iv) four months old and (v) over six months old. [13864]
Jane Kennedy: The Department has answered all letters from hon. and right hon. Members received before 18 May 2005.
As at 18 July, the Department had a total of 868 letters from hon. and right hon. Members to be answered. Of these:
846 (97.4 percent.) were received in that month (19 June to 18 July inclusive), and so were up to one month old;
21 (2.5 percent.) were received in the previous month (19 May to 18 June inclusive), and so were up to two months old;
The Department currently answers over 97 percent., of all letters from hon. and right hon. Members within 20 working days.
The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of departments in replying to Members/peers correspondence. The report for 2004 was published on 6 April 2005, Official Report, column, 137–40ws.
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