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26 Jan 2006 : Column 2336W—continued
Departmental Staff
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in her Department have been relocated into London and the South East in each of the last five years for which records are available. [31768]
Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department. Details on staff moving to London and the South East is held locally on individual personnel files. The information can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Any relocation into London and the South East during 2004–05 and 2005–06 to date would have been agreed as an exception to the Government's relocation policy.
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Influenza Pandemic
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how she plans to incentivise general practitioners to provide extra capacity in primary care in the event of an influenza pandemic. [23009]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department published the revised UK Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan" in October. The plan provides guidance for health professionals and the public in preparing for a future pandemic. Operational guidance to the national health service was issued in May which encourages them to work closely with local stakeholders in all sectors to ensure robust local plans are put in place, regularly tested and updated.
As part of their statutory duties, primary care trusts (PCTs) should ensure arrangements are in place for the provision of primary care services in the event of influenza pandemic. Local capacity planning should include arrangements with all primary medical care contractors including general medical services, personal medical services, PCT-led medical services and alternative provider medical services. In order to meet the likely volume of work during a pandemic, PCTs should discuss with their general practitionerss the non-essential work that can be put on hold. Specific arrangements will also be needed with their out of hours providers.
Medical Provision (Aylesbury Vale)
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of whether there is a need for a new community hospital in Aylesbury Vale as a result of housing expansion in the area. [44188]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Secretary of State has made no assessment.
Responsibility for the provision of local services rests with local national health service organisations working in conjunction with other key stakeholders. The organisation responsible for managing planning and implementation in this part of the Milton Keynes south midland sub-region growth area is Aylesbury Vale Advantage, which is a company limited by guarantee, consisting of five key partners including Vale of Aylesbury Primary Care Trust.
Mental Health
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has a preventative strategy on mental health; and if she will make a statement. [40899]
Ms Rosie Winterton:
Preventative mental health strategies are set out in the 1999 national service framework (NSF) for mental health, standard one, which is dedicated to promoting mental health for all, working with individuals and communities and to combating discrimination against individuals and groups with mental health problems and promoting their social inclusion. Local national health service bodies are expected to implement standard one in their localities.
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The NSF should be seen in conjunction with the commitments made in the White Paper Choosing Health" to fully implement standard one nationally.
In addition, the joint publication by the Care Services Improvement Partnership/National Institute for Mental Health in England, Making it Possible: Improving Mental Health and Well-being in England", sets out good practice in relation to developing and delivering improved mental health well-being. This contributes to the United Kingdom commitment to developing a country-wide action plan on mental health, in line with the World Health Organisation's declaration on mental health which I signed in January 2005.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the Department for Constitutional Affairs regarding the transfer of responsibility for mental health tribunals from her Department to the Department for Constitutional Affairs. [44482]
Ms Rosie Winterton: In line with the White Paper, Transforming Public Services: Complaints Redress and Tribunals", the mental health review tribunals will transfer to the Department for Constitutional Affairs, where they will form part of the Tribunals Service. Following discussions between our Departments, we have agreed that the transfer will take place with effect from April of this year.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in her Department's discussions with SANE on Government funding for SANELINE. [43892]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Discussions with SANE are continuing. SANE, like other voluntary and community sector organisations, can apply for Government funding for work they wish to undertake.
NHS Finance
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her latest estimate is of the budget over-spending at (a) University College Hospital, (b) the Royal Free Hospital and (c) Whittington Hospital. [44582]
Jane Kennedy: The forecast outturn position for 2005–06, as submitted by National Health Service organisations (strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and NHS trusts) at the mid-year point (month six), is available in the Library and is also available on the Department's Health website at: www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/FreedomOfInformation/ClassesOfInformation/fs/en.
The Department does not hold this data for University College London Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
University College London Hospital is an NHS foundation trust. As such, my noble Friend Lord Warner has written to the chair of the trust, Peter Dixon, informing him of my hon. Friend's inquiry. He will reply shortly and a letter will be placed in the Library.
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Policy Reviews
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list policy reviews her Department has conducted in each year since 1997. [44328]
Jane Kennedy: The Department maintains all of its key policies under review. Material on the key policy areas for which the Department is responsible is available on our website at: www.dh.gov.uk.
Private Finance Initiative
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her latest estimate is of the cost of implementing the Bristol health services plan; whether the financing of the plan will be made through the private finance initiative; and if she will make a statement. [43548]
Ms Rosie Winterton
[holding answer 19 January 2006]: The Bristol health services plan affects the two major capital investment projects being taken forward for Bristol—the United Bristol Healthcare (UBH) and the North Bristol National Health Service Trust/South Gloucestershire primary care trust schemes. Both schemes are currently revising the funding and service options in their outline business case. The latest capital cost of the former is approximately £100 million and, of the latter, £420 million.
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Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when a decision to make progress on the private finance initiative scheme for a new hospital for Plymouth will be taken by her Department. [44627]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 23 January 2006]: The outline business case (OBC) for a new £200 million diagnostic and care centre for Plymouth Hospitals National Health Service Trust has been approved by South West Peninsula strategic health authority and has now been submitted to the Department for approval. The proposal for the emergency and specialist services centre is at a much earlier stage; the trust is currently developing options for the OBC.
Sexually-transmitted Diseases
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthhow many cases of (a) HIV, (b) chlamydia, (c) gonorrhoea, (d) syphilis, (e) genital warts and (f) genital herpes there have been in England in each year since 1997. [41971]
Caroline Flint: The number of cases of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, genital warts and genital herpes diagnosed in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in England from 1997 to 2004, are shown in the table. The number of HIV diagnoses in England from 1997 to 2004 are also shown, and include diagnoses made in GUM clinics as well as other settings such as infectious disease units and general practice.
Source:
Reports of HIV diagnoses and KC60 returns (other STIs)
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