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16 Feb 2006 : Column 2305W—continued
Diabetes
Mr. Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the clinical guideline for footcare which forms a part of the type two diabetes guideline to be reviewed. [50521]
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Jane Kennedy: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) plans to publish its guidance on type two diabetes, including footcare, in July 2008. Further information can be found on NICE's website at www.nice.org.uk
Domiciliary Oxygen
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish correspondence between her Department and its agencies since January 2005 about the direct supply of domiciliary oxygen for patients by the British Oxygen Company and its subsidiaries. [51806]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 15 February 2006]: Since January 2005, the British Oxygen Company (BOC), like all other companies tendering for the direct supply of the domiciliary oxygen service to patients, received correspondence about the evaluation of bids, including an invitation to make a presentation to assessment panels in support of tenders submitted and, where necessary, requests for further information.
In addition, the Department and the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency corresponded with BOC in relation to the company's award of one regional contract for this service and this included feedback on the evaluation of tenders for all service regions submitted by BOC. This correspondence includes information that is commercially confidential to BOC and there is no agreement with BOC as to its publication.
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance her Department has issued to (a) patients and (b) health care professionals on changes in the provision of domiciliary oxygen; and on what dates the guidance was issued; [51807]
(2) what guidance her Department has issued to pharmacies since January 2005 on the provision of domiciliary oxygen; and on what dates the guidance was issued. [51808]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 15 February 2006]: The national health service primary care contracting website www.primarycarecontracting.nhs.uk provides advice and guidance to primary care trusts and others on communicating changes to patients and health care professionals, including pharmacists, on the provision of domiciliary oxygen. Information has been available since July 2005 with updates provided on a weekly basis.
In addition, the Department has been working with the British Lung Foundation and new suppliers to provide information to patients.
Part 10 of the drug tariff, which relates to the provision of home oxygen, provides updated advice to pharmacies and others, with changes made on 1 October 2005 and 1 February 2006.
Eating Disorders
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what types of eating disorders are treated by the NHS; and how many people are estimated to be suffering from such disorders. [50538]
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Ms Rosie Winterton: Data relating to patients presenting with eating disorders and who were treated by the national health service in 2004–05 is shown in the table. This data may include duplicate episodes where the same patient presented for treatment for the same condition at different times; disclosure rules apply due to the sensitive nature of the data, thus the figures have been rounded to the nearest 10; and they may not add up due to rounding.
Source:
Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre.
The national health service provides treatment for eating disorders, and other medical conditions, on the basis of clinical need. We regard the issue of eating disorders very seriously, and have asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to publish guidelines on core interventions for eating disorders as part of its second programme of work. NICE published clinical guidelines on eating disorders in January 2004, to inform individual NHS organisations about best practice.
Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 19 October 2005, Official Report, column 925, on emergency preparedness, when the group chaired by the deputy chief medical officer to examine NHS bed capacity in the event of an influenza pandemic was established; when she expects the group to make recommendations; whether these recommendations will be published; and what resources have been set aside in preparation for implementing the recommendations of the group. [22983]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The group chaired by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer first met in October. The group has discussed issues relating to national health service additional bed capacity during a flu pandemic, and a range of issues are being taken forward.
The group met again in January to discuss progress. Resources to support emergency planning and preparedness for major incidents including a possible flu pandemic have been included within the global allocations made to primary care trusts and acute trusts. This includes resources for critical care services. However, the position regarding resources will be reviewed once the guidance prepared by the group considering critical care services is available.
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Essex Strategic Health Authority
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) job title, (b) salary including payment by results elements and (c) total employment costs were for each of the highest paid five employees in the Essex Strategic Health Authority in 2004–05. [51657]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information requested is not held centrally.
The information on salaries of executives of national health service organisations are published in their annual reports and accounts.
EU Committees
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings of the (a) Committee of senior officials on public health, (b) Committee for the implementation of the Community action plan to combat cancer and (c) Committee on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the member states concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement. [38042]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Committee of Senior Officials on Public Health did not meet during the United Kingdom presidency of the European Union.
We are not aware of the committee for the implementation of the community action plan to combat cancer.
The committee on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the member states concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products met once during the UK presidency of the EU. Commission tobacco officials chaired the meeting. Two departmental tobacco officials attended, representing the UK.
The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations have attended and do attend councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
A copy is available on the Department for Constitutional Affairs' website at: www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf.
European Health Insurance Card
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the average time taken between an eligible individual applying for and receiving a European Health Insurance Card. [46400]
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Ms Rosie Winterton: There are three different ways to apply for a European Health Insurance Card:
Delivery time is dependent on application method currently, the average time taken from receipt of application is between three and five days, with internet the fastest route and post the slowest.
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