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Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what rating was given to Southport and Ormskirk NHS trust by the turnaround team. [53904]

Mr. Byrne: We envisage that the turnaround teams will be needed for around 18 months. This will take us to the end of 2006–07, when we expect the national health service to have returned to financial balance.
 
8 Mar 2006 : Column 1638W
 

The first phase of this assessment is complete and Southport and Ormskirk hospital NHS trust was included in this assessment. It was assessed as requiring additional expertise to support turnaround. The team is agreeing a tailored package of turnaround support with the organisation.

Sterile Services

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish findings from the Pathfinder for Sterile Services. [53185]

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 9 November 2005, Official Report, column 637W.

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of acute hospital bed capacity at the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. [54572]

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not held centrally. The Department sets the national strategy for service delivery, but it is for the relevant strategic health authority and its local health community to ensure there is sufficient capacity in place to deliver health care services effectively.

Thyroid Malfunctions

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued to doctors on the early diagnosis of thyroid malfunctions. [54600]

Mr. Byrne: At present, it is considered good medical practice to confirm a diagnosis of both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism though physical examination, clinical history and blood tests.

Prodigy guidance (www.prodigy.nhs.uk) offers advice on the management of a range of conditions and symptoms, including hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism that are commonly seen in primary care. The guidance is advisory and has been developed to assist health care professionals, together with patients, make decisions about the management of the patient's health.

Waiting Lists

Mr. Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the waiting list for (a) hip replacement and (b) prosthetic knee replacement operations in (i) 2004–05 and (ii) to date in 2005–06 by region in England; [48099]

(2) how many people are waiting for prosthetic (a) fitting and (b) replacement operations, broken down by category of prosthesis. [48101]

Jane Kennedy: Waiting time data is collected at speciality level, for example trauma and orthopaedics, and is available on the Department's website at: www.performance.doh.gov.uk/waitingtimes/index.htm

It is not possible to split this data down to show waiting list data for specific operations, for example hip or prosthetic knee replacements. It is also not possible to determine from this data how many people are waiting for a prosthetic fitting or replacement operation.

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