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9 Mar 2006 : Column 1767W—continued
HIV
John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the (a) efficacy and (b) availability of post-exposure prophylaxis following (i) sexual and (ii) occupational exposure to HIV; and if she will make a statement. [54889]
Caroline Flint: The assessment and provision of specific treatments, including post exposure prophylaxis following sexual or occupational exposure to HIV, is a matter for local national health service organisations, which are best placed to assess and meet local needs.
To support them, however, the Department funded the Medical Foundation for AIDS and Sexual Health (MedFASH) to produce the Recommended Standards for NHS HIV Services", published in 2003. This states that: the NHS should make non-occupational PEP available to all who need it and develop protocols for provision".
These standards were disseminated to primary care trust sexual health leads in England. The Department also published guidance on HIV post-exposure prophylaxis from the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers' expert advisory group on AIDS (EAGA) in June 1997, with subsequent updated versions in July 2000 and February 2004. EAGA is currently reviewing the 2004 guidance, which is available on the Department's website at: www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/eaga/publications.htm.
The Health Protection Agency carries out surveillance of occupational exposure to blood-borne viruses in health care workers. The latest report is available on the website at: www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/bbv/s_report.htm.
MRI Scans
Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of waiting times for routine MRI scans in (a) Uxbridge constituency, (b) North West London, (c) London and (d) England. [46536]
Jane Kennedy: During 2005, the Department collected some diagnostic waiting time and activity data, including data on magnetic resonance imaging, from 21 trusts as part of piloting work to underpin development of the 18-week patient pathway. The pilot data is unvalidated management information from a relatively small sample of trusts; is of variable quality; and does not separately identify routine from urgent scans.
Some limited modelling of this data has been done at a national level. We intend to publish a summary of 18 weeks-related analysis in the spring in conjunction with publication of the 18-week implementation plan. We also intend to commence routine publication of data on diagnostic waiting times and activity this spring.
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MS Centres (Inspection Costs)
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the likely effect on fees charged to multiple sclerosis centres for the inspection of type 3 barochambers of the transfer of the responsibility for inspection from her Department to the Healthcare Commission; and if she will make a statement. [55655]
Jane Kennedy: I met representatives of multiple sclerosis therapy centres in July 2005. It was subsequently decided that these establishments should continue to be subject to the Healthcare Commission's regulatory regime but I asked departmental officials to work with them on possible options for reducing the inspection burden on therapy centres.
The Healthcare Commission consulted on its proposed fee structure for 2006–07 between November 2005 and February this year. The consultation document specifically asked for views on whether there should be a reduced level of fees for establishments which are substantially reliant on voluntary donations for their income. The Healthcare Commission is currently considering responses to the consultation which is expected to receive their detailed proposals in late March or early April.
Newmarket Hospital
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the future of Newmarket Hospital. [50694]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Suffolk West Primary Care Trust (PCT) Board will meet in due course to discuss the outcome of the public consultation exercise. The decision about the future of Newmarket Hospital will be taken at that meeting. Proposals in the consultation were for the closure of the 16 in-patient beds at Newmarket Community Hospital and replacing them with enhanced intermediate care provision.
There are also outline plans for the re-design of Newmarket Community Hospital. These include:
a modern general practitioner practice which, together with the PCT, will provide a wide range of services including diagnostics, for example blood tests, and clinics;
NHS Finance
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health(1) how much has been allocated (a) in total and (b) per capita for health spending in (i) Gloucestershire, (ii) West Gloucestershire primary care trust, (iii) Gloucestershire Hospitals Acute Trust and (iv)Gloucestershire ambulance trust in (A) 2005–06 and (B) 2006–07; [52749]
(2) how much has been allocated (a) in total and (b) per capita for health spending in (i) England, (ii) each county in England and (iii) each constituencyin England for the years (A) 2005–06 and (B) 2006–07. [52765]
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Mr. Byrne: Revenue allocations are made direct to primary care trusts (PCTs). They are not made to counties, constituencies or national health service trusts. The information is not therefore, available in the format requested.
Information on the allocations and the per capita funding for each PCT, including West Gloucestershire PCT has been placed in the Library.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her Department's latest estimate is of the level of NHS overspend for the 2005–06 financial year; and if she will make a statement. [55957]
Jane Kennedy: The latest available information shows that for 2005–06 at month six, the national health service is forecasting a deficit of £620 million. This forecast deficit amounts to less than 1 per cent. of the funding available. The unaudited data for the mid-year point shows that two thirds of the forecast deficit is in around 7 per cent. of organisations.
NHS Organisations
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health at the end of which financial year she expects NHS organisations to achieve a collective breakeven position. [52524]
Jane Kennedy: It is anticipated that national health service organisations will achieve a collective break-even position by the end of 2006–07.
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she made of the financial position of primary care trusts, foundation trusts and other national health service organisations before finalising levels of funding for local authorities for 2006–07. [53541]
Mr. Byrne: The Government provide funding for adults' social services through both the overall formula grant allocated to local authorities by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, and the specific revenue and capital grants allocated directly to councils from individual Departments. In respect of the 2006–07 and 2007–08 allocations, the attribution of adults' social care funding is based on brand new needs-based formulae for both the younger adults' and older people's service blocks. These formulae take also account of the effect of geography on pay and prices through the use of an area cost adjustment.
While the Department is responsible for establishing overall social care policy, councils have a significant degree of flexibility to manage and direct their own resources according to local priorities and the needs of the communities they represent.
Revenue allocations are made to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. A weighted capitation formula is used to determine each PCTs' target share of available resources, to enable them to commission similar levels of health services for populations in similar need.
NHS Productivity
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on productivity in the NHS in each of the last five years. [46223]
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Jane Kennedy: Figures published by the Department on 7 December 2005 in Healthcare Output and Productivity: Accounting for Quality Change" showed that on average, national health service productivity increased by 0.8 per cent. a year, between 1999–2000 and 2003–04, the latest years for which figures are available.
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