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10 Jan 2006 : Column 597W—continued
Palliative Care
Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government is taking to fulfil the commitment in Building on the Best to offer all adult patients nearing the end of life, regardless of diagnosis, access to high quality palliative care to enable them to choose if they wish to die at home; and what the timescale is for these measures. [35056]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Government have invested an additional £12 million over three years (2004 to 2007) to deliver the end of life care programme, providing choice to those who want to die at home. This programme is providing training for staff in acute, community and care home settings so that all patients near the end of life have access to high quality palliative care and are able to choose where they receive care. This involves supporting the roll-out of three key tools, the gold standards framework, the Liverpool care pathway, and the preferred place of care.
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to increase funding for palliative care services; and if she will make a statement. [37306]
Ms Rosie Winterton: In our Manifesto, we said we would increase the choice for patients with cancer and double the investment going into palliative care services, giving more people the choice to be treated at home. We have extended this commitment to improve end of life care for children and adults who are suffering from cancer or any life-threatening condition.
The details of delivering our manifesto commitment are being discussed with a range of key stakeholders. Along side this, the views of the public, service users and national health service staff on end of life care was one of the issues covered in the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say" consultation. We will take account of what people have said in this consultation in the way we discharge our manifesto commitment.
Patient Choice
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2005, Official Report, columns 1725–26W, on patient choice, what communications have been sent to (a) primary care trusts and (b) strategic health authorities to convey Government policy since Sir Nigel Crisp's letter of 28 July on Commissioning a Patient-led NHS. [37771]
Mr. Byrne: There have been two written communications issued to strategic health authority (SHA) chief executives since the publication of Sir Nigel Crisp's letter on 28 July 2005, and we have also provided SHAs with a consultation guidance document. A letter was issued on 26 August 2005, which stated that:
We expect discussions on provider functions to follow the restructuring discussion, be led by the new PCTs and to take into account any conclusions from the upcoming White Paper. Any proposals would then require a further specific consultation."
A further letter was issued on 30 November 2005, which stated that:
The consultation must cover the reconfiguration of organisational boundaries only. Discussions or decision about provider functions are not a matter for this consultation".
Enclosed with this letter was a consultation guidance document, which stated:
In our proposals sent out on 28 July we indicated that we were minded to require PCTs to reduce their service provision functions by the end of 2008. Since that document, we have listened to stakeholders. The policy moving forward, in relation to service provision, is that this will be a matter for PCTs to determine locally. So any move away from direct provision of services will be a decision for the local NHS within the framework set out in the forthcoming White Paper and after local consultation, including professions allied to medicine.
We will support PCTs who want to do that, but we will not instruct PCTs to do it, nor will we impose any timetable. What matters is getting the best services for each community—and that is what the White Paper will focus on."
Prescribing Policy
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her policy is on the prescribing to a patient of a generic alternative to a branded medicine following the expiry of a patent in circumstances where they were initially prescribed a branded medicine and wish to remain on this medication. [39326]
Jane Kennedy: Practitioners are encouraged to prescribe rationally and to make the best possible use of national health service resources. It has long been the Department's policy to encourage practitioners to prescribe drugs by their generic name, where possible, for reasons of good professional practice and because of the opportunities for more effective use of NHS resources.
Prescription Charges
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued on whether patients in hospital should pay prescription charges for their medication. [39357]
Jane Kennedy: Guidance revised and issued in October 2003 entitled, The Controls Assurance Standards" included a reminder to trusts that arrangements should be in place for the collection of prescription charges as specified by the National Health Service (Charges for drugs and appliances) Regulations 2000.
Regulation 5 (1) says an NHS trust, and NHS foundation trust or a primary care trust which supplies to a patient for the purposes of his treatment, drugs, otherwise than for administration at a hospital, or appliances, shall, subject to limited exemptions make and recover from the patient a charge of £6.50.
The information leaflet HC11, Help with Health Costs", which is freely available to patients and NHS staff, sets out when and where prescription charges should be made.
Primary Care Trusts
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will reconsider the pace at which primary care trusts are moved towards their target allocation under the weighted capitation formula. [39353]
Mr. Byrne:
Pace of change policy is decided by Ministers for each allocations round. In 2003–04, the most under target primary care trust (PCT) was 22 percent., under target. For the 2006–08 revenue
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allocations, it has been decided to move PCTs more quickly towards their fair share of funds, and by 2007–08, no PCT will be more than 3.5 percent., below its fair share.
There are no plans to revisit the 2006–08 revenue allocations or the in pace of change. Pace of change policy for the next allocations round will be considered in light of all the circumstances at the time.
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many job losses she expects as a result of the possible merger of primary care trusts in Staffordshire; what budget she has allocated for severance payments; and if she will make a statement. [37829]
Ms Rosie Winterton:
Ministers have given the go-ahead for all 28 strategic health authorities (SHAs) to begin local consultations on boundary changes to SHAs and PCTs. Consultations started on 14 December and will continue for a period of 14 weeks, until 22 March. No decisions on boundary changes will be taken until these local consultations have been completed and their outcomes considered by Secretary of State. Until any boundary changes are agreed, it is not possible to calculate the number of job losses in any particular area.
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There will be no central fund to finance any cost of redundancy. SHAs have been asked to minimise the cost of severance and where possible, these should be financed from in-year management cost savings.
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what process will be used for primary care trusts to transfer the services they provide to alternative providers. [19637]
Mr. Byrne: There are no central plans for primary care trusts to transfer services they provide to alternative providers.
Any move away from direct provision of services will be a decision for the national health service locally, within the framework to be set out in the forthcoming White Paper and after local consultation with a range of stakeholders including staff.
Psychiatrist/Psychologist Waiting Times
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhat the (a) average and (b) target waiting time was to see a (i) psychiatrist and (ii) psychologist for (A) adults and (B) children in Chorley in each of the last five years. [37800]
Mr. Byrne: The information requested is shown in the table.
n/a = not applicable
Notes:
Lancashire Care NHS Trust was formed in an April 2002 merger of the following organisations:
RMB—Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Healthcare NHS Trust (MH services)
RML—Blackpool, Wyre and Fyde Community Health NHS trust (MH services)
REU—Burnley Health Care NHS Trust (mental health services)
RJU—Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust (mental health services)
RME—Communicare NHS Trust (psychology and drugs services)
RMG—Guild Community Healthcare NHS Trust
RVT—North Sefton and West Lancashire Community NHS Trust
Data for specialties:
710—Mental Illness
711—Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
712—Forensic Psychiatry
713—Psychotherapy
715—Old Age Psychiatry
1. Due to small numbers, the calculation of the median wait is prone to fluctuation at PCT and SNA level. Care should be taken when interpreting these figures.
2. Waiting times apply to Consultant-led appointments only. Services in many areas are now run by multidisciplinary teams.
Source:
Department of Health form QM08
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