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22 Nov 2005 : Column 1798W—continued
Mental Illness
15. James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the availability of choice of therapies for people with mental illness. [30523]
Jane Kennedy: We are committed to modernising mental health services to provide patients with quick, easy access to high quality services and effective treatment and care, and to give people greater choice in the treatment and care they receive. Taken together, NHS and local authority expenditure on mental health has increased in real terms by almost £1.27 billion. This is a real increase in resources of over 26.6 per cent. in the period 1999–2000 to 2003–04.
We along with the National Institute for Mental Health in England are supporting local services in implementing our guidance called 'Organising and Delivering Psychological Therapies' in order to promote choice; and develop new ways of working.
Chlamydia Screening Programme
16. Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the National Chlamydia Screening Programme. [30524]
Caroline Flint:
Chlamydia screening in England began in April 2003 in 10 areas and was extended to a further 16 areas in April 2004. The 26 programmes cover25 per cent. of all primary care trusts and offers opportunistic screening to asymptomatic sexually active men and women under 25 years of age. National screening will begin in April 2006. We are currently on target for full implementation in 2007, as set out in the White Paper Choosing Health: Making Healthier choices easier" published in 2004, copies of which are available in the Library.
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21. Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to improve access to Chlamydia screening. [30529]
Caroline Flint: The National Chlamydia Screening Programme started in April 2003 in 10 areas and was extended to a further 16 areas in April 2004. We are on target for full implementation by 2007.
In addition to the screening programme, we have also contracted Boots to evaluate the potential of retail pharmacies as Chlamydia screening venues. Screening began on 14 November.
The key drivers of the project are wider and easier access to screening services in order to provide quick and easily available screening options.
Paddington Health Campus Report
19. Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has read the independent report on The Paddington Health Campus: The Lessons Learnt"; and if she will make a statement. [30527]
Mr. Byrne: This report was commissioned by North West London strategic health authority and is for the SHA to consider and respond to in the first instance. However, its conclusions largely concur with a joint Department of Health, Treasury and National Audit Office report into the project which was published last year and which has been acted upon by the Department.
Blindness/Visual Impairment (Rehabilitation Services)
22. Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the responsibilities of local authorities are in respect of the provision of rehabilitation services for blind and visually impaired people. [30530]
Mr. Byrne: It is for local authorities to determine how best to provide services to meet the needs of individuals in their populations, in the light of local priorities. This includes assessment and provision of appropriate support and rehabilitation services for blind and partially sighted people.
ME
23. Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research her Department has commissioned on myalgic encephalomyelitis. [30531]
Mr. Byrne: The Department has commissioned a number of research projects related to chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis and details of these are available on the National Research Register, which can be accessed through the Department's research and development website [at www.dh.gov.uk/research].
Primary Care Trusts
24. Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the future role of primary care trusts. [30532]
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Jane Kennedy: Following unprecedented levels of funding, the national health service has made huge improvements but we know there is more to do to ensure that patients get the services they need.
We need stronger primary care trusts with a more focused role to:
Design local health services that best meet the needs of their communities securing availability, quality and fairness for patients.
Ensure that the money is actually spent in the communities where there is greatest need thus supporting the Government's commitment to reducing health inequalities.
Be the custodian of taxpayers money working to ensure the NHS maximises the benefits of its resources.
Support the extension of practice based commissioning so that frontline clinicians who are closest to patients are able to plan and develop services for them.
Work closely with local government to ensure that patients and service users benefit from joined up services.
Nurses
25. Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans her Department has to extend the role of nurses. [30533]
Caroline Flint: We have developed new clinical roleslike nurse consultants and modern matrons and community matrons. We have introduced initiatives such as prescribing rights for nurses. We have provided support for new advanced nursing roles in all settings and funded thousands of nurses to take part in leadership programmes.
Abortions
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost of NHS-funded abortions was in each year since 1997. [25896]
Caroline Flint: The available information is shown in the following table.
(1)Total estimated cost based on the average NHS hospital cost for all years.
Alzheimer's Disease
Dr. Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence to publish its final guidance on the continued use of (a) donepezil, (b) rivastigmine and (c) galantamine to treat Alzheimer's disease. [20516]
Jane Kennedy:
This is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Information about NICE's current work programme is available on the NICE's website at: www.nice.org.uk. I
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understand that NICE's appraisal committee is due to meet later in December and NICE will conclude the appraisal in April 2006.
Anti-depressant Drugs
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhat the (a) number of prescription items and(b) prescription expenditure has been for anti-depressant drugs in each year since 1984; and what the percentage change was between (i) 1984 and 1994, (ii)1994 and 2004 and (iii) 1984 and 2004. [22971]
Jane Kennedy: The number of anti-depressant medicines prescribed by the national health service in England between 1984 and 2004 and the cost of these items during this period is shown in table 1.
The percentage change, in prescription volumes and costs between 1984 and 1994, 1994 and 2004 and 1984 and 2004 is shown in table 2.
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