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20 Dec 2005 : Column 2690W—continued
Administrative Savings
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what administrative savings have been made by her Department in each of the last eight years. [34949]
Jane Kennedy: The Department has completed a programme of change which has transformed the Department into a smaller more strategically focused organisation. This was reflected in the Department's Spending Review 2004 settlement, and is reflected in planned spending as transitional costs are completed. The following table shows that, in real terms, over the period 1998–99 to 2004–05 the Department's administration costs reduced by 9 per cent., the planned spend in 2007–08 is 29 per cent., below the 1998–99 level.
Note:
Figures may not sum due to rounding.
Avian Influenza
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her oral answer of 17 October 2005, Official Report, column, 632W, on avian influenza, what definition of healthcare worker she plans to use for the purposes of treatment for pandemic influenza; and which categories of worker will be eligible for priority supplies of antivirals. [37533]
Ms Rosie Winterton
[holding answer 15 December 2005]: We have purchased 14.6 million courses of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) to treat the 25 percent. of the
20 Dec 2005 : Column 2691W
population that may fall ill. We are aware of the possibility that a pandemic may strike before theantiviral stockpile is complete. The guidance we have published on antiviral storage and distribution takes this into account. Access to antivirals will need to be prioritised, initially to healthcare workers, and to those who fall into one of the 'clinical at risk' groups, as defined for seasonal flu. We have already received 3.3 million treatment courses, so the issue of prioritisation of healthcare workers should not arise.
Final decisions regarding prioritisation for vaccine and antivirals will be made on the basis of information emerging from the early stages of the pandemic about the virus and those groups most at risk. The UK National Influenza Pandemic Committee, chaired by the chief medical officer, will provide additional advice as required during the pandemic.
Breast Cancer
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to ensure that extra funding for Herceptin will be made available if it is required. [37925]
Jane Kennedy: The cost of Herceptin will need to be met from the existing settlement agreed for the national health service.
We understand that some trusts are already under financial pressures and may have to make difficult decisions in allocating resources. However, we have greatly increased the amount of money going into the NHS and those trusts with deficits have financial recovery plans in place.
Funding of the NHS has increased from £34.7 billion in 1997–98 to £69.7 billion in 2004–05. By 2007–08 spending on the NHS will have increased to £92 billion.
Care Standards
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the decision in R v. Leonard Cheshire Foundation [2002] H.R.L.R.30 on the enforceability of provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998 by those using services provided by organisations registered under the Care Standards Act 2000; [20258]
(2) what assessment she has made of the implications of the decision in R v. Leonard Cheshire Foundation [2002] H.R.L.R.30 for NHS services provided by independent sector providers. [20259]
Mr. Byrne: Consideration has been given to the application of the Human Rights Act to independent sector bodies carrying out national health service services, and to organisations registered under the Care Standards Act 2000. My noble Friend, Baroness Ashton recently said in parliamentary debate:
On the issue of public authority ... we share the disappointment about the way 'pubic authority' in the Human Rights Act has been interpreted by the courts. The narrow construction of the definition has not fulfilled our hopes and expectations. The Government are following the advice of the Joint Committee and adopting two strategies to approach the problem. First, ... we are actively seeking a suitable case in which to intervene to argue for a wider definition of public
- authority. That would include the point ... on local authority-funded residents in private care homes, such as the Leonard Cheshire case.
Furthermore, we are issuing guidance on how the contracts between public authorities and private organisations for the provision of services may seek to protect convention rights. This is a very important area; noble Lords have referred to the need to think about it very carefully. It will benefit from careful consideration and will therefore be a matter for the discrimination law review to consider."
Childhood Epilepsy
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children had epilepsy in the UK in each year since 1997. [38765]
Mr. Byrne: Information on the number of children suffering from epilepsy each year is not collected.
Cholesterol
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhat incentives she plans to offer to pharmacists to offer (a) body mass index tests, (b) cholesterol tests, (c) blood pressure tests and (d) other health checks. [36615]
Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Dr.Stoate) today.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the national health service of treating the effects of high cholesterol levels was in each of the last five years. [36925]
Caroline Flint: The Department has introduced dietary measures such as the 5-A-Day fruit and vegetable scheme that will impact on the general population with high cholesterol levels, but it is not possible to estimate their proportional effect and costs. The most effective way to treat the effects of high cholesterol is with the prescribing of lipid regulating drugs including statins. This is shown in the table.
| Cost (£) | |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 326,110,476 |
| 2001 | 438,845,026 |
| 2002 | 570,973,440 |
| 2003 | 715,002,862 |
| 2004 | 769,236,688 |
Note:
Prescription information is taken from the prescription cost analysis (PCA) system, supplied by the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA), and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispensed in the community, that is, by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England. Also included are prescriptions written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospitals, including mental health trusts, or private prescriptions.
Source:
Prescriptions (Statistics and Analysis), Department of Health.
Dr. Stoate:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will estimate the number of pharmacists who are planning to offer health checks including Body Mass
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Index tests, cholesterol tests and blood pressure tests in response to the Choosing Health through Pharmacy contract; [36761]
(2) whether the Government plan (a) to measure and (b) to estimate the number of health checks carried out under the Choosing Health through Pharmacy contract; [36762]
(3) what estimate the Government has made of how many health checks have taken place so far under the Choosing Health through Pharmacy contract; [36763]
(4) what measures the Government are taking to improve access testing under the Choosing Health through Pharmacy contract in areas of deprivation and poverty. [36764]
Jane Kennedy: New community pharmacy contractual arrangements provide the framework for pharmacy to make a positive contribution to tackling key health priorities such as obesity and coronary heart disease and to improving the health of the public, including where health inequalities persist.
Some pharmacies offer blood pressure testing, cholesterol testing or a range of other screening tests. Such testing should be in accordance with relevant national screening guidelines, where they exist, and in line with local primary care trust (PCT) programmes for prevention and management of risk factors and with robust quality assurance processes.
We published Choosing Health through Pharmacy— A programme for pharmaceutical public health" in April 2005, which aims to maximise the contribution of pharmacists, their staff and the premises in which they work to improve health and reduce health inequalities. This strategy will enable pharmacists and their staff to make better use of their skills and it will open up opportunities for pharmacy to make a bigger difference to improving the health of people in England. PCTs can commission local enhanced services to meet identified health needs.
Although we do not hold details centrally on the number of pharmacists planning to offer health checks or the numbers of such checks, we have developed an assurance framework for PCTs to use in monitoring pharmacy's implementation of new contractual requirements, and also strategic tests for strategic health authorities to monitor how PCTs are using the new framework to deliver key health priorities and objectives locally.
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