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27 Mar 2006 : Column 790W—continued
General Practitioners
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners (GPs) there are in (a) Ruislip-Northwood constituency and (b) each London borough; and what estimate she has made of the number of GPs likely to retire over the next five years. [60511]
Jane Kennedy:
This information is not held in the format requested. However, the table shows numbers of general medical practitioners for each London primary care trust and a further breakdown by age band.
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(57)General medical practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars) includes contracted general practitioners, general medical service others and personal medical services others.
(58)Denotes zero.
Source:
Health and Social Care Information Centre General and Personal Services Statistics
Guide Dogs for the Blind
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration her Department is giving to joining the Rehabilitation Project Group led by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. [59962]
Mr. Byrne: The Department receives a substantial number of requests to participate in studies and cannot devote resources to them all. We will not be joining the rehabilitation project group led by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association but will be interested in seeing outcomes from the work of the group.
We support the work done by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and the Department has given the association, in collaboration with other employers, through skills for care, £30,000 to redesign hybrid rehabilitation functions in working with visually impaired people.
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Healthcare Supplies
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to report on her Department's consultation on the supply of ostomy, incontinence and wound care products. [59879]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 20 March 2006]: The consultation on the arrangements for the provision of dressings, incontinence appliances, stoma appliances, chemical reagents and other appliances to primary and secondary care closed on Monday, 23 January 2006.
Since that date, Departmental officials have been analysing the responses and meeting with a number of individuals who put forward a response in order to seek clarification of their comments. These meetings were with patient groups, national health service trusts and industry.
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It is our intention to publish a summary of responses and to respond to the consultation in due course.
Healthcare Commission
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what indicators the Healthcare Commission uses to assess the performance of organisations which enter into contracts for NHS-funded work. [59075]
Jane Kennedy: The Healthcare Commission assesses national health service organisations under powers provided by the Health and Social Care Act (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003, and private and voluntary health care providers under powers in the Care Standards Act 2000.
The Commission may assess organisations contracted to provide for NHS funded work under either of these sets of powers. If a non-NHS provider of NHS services is registered as a provider of independent health care under the 2000 Act they are assessed using the Regulations and National Minimum Standards provided under that Act. If such a provider is not so registered and where they are commissioned by an NHS organisation it is for that organisation to ensure that the services comply with Standards for Better Health", the national standards set under the 2003 Act, using thecriteria of the Commission's Annual Health Check process.
In addition, health care provided for NHS patients, be it by the NHS or for the NHS by a non-NHS establishment, may be reviewed by the Healthcare Commission under 2003 Act, against the NHS standards—Standards for Better Health"—published by the Secretary of State in July in 2004. As part of its review process, the Healthcare Commission ensures that services for NHS patients delivered from outside the NHS are commissioned against these standards, including those covering patient safety.
The Department is currently reviewing the application of the powers under these two Acts to ensure equivalence of assessment of all organisations providing NHS services.
Healthcare Professionals
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will reply to question 48216, on conduct of healthcare professionals, tabled by the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough, for answer on 1 February 2006. [59883]
Mr. Byrne: A reply was given on 15 March 2006, Official Report, column 2334W.
Health-related Charities (Government Funding)
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on securing ongoing Government funding for (a) National Talking newspapers and magazines and (b) other health-related charities previously supported by the national lottery. [52774]
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Mr. Byrne: There have been no discussions between Ministers about securing ongoing Government funding for charities previously supported by the national lottery. Health and social care related charities can apply to the Department for funding through the section 64 General Scheme of Grants. We do not collect information on whether section 64 grant applicants have previously been in receipt of national lottery funding.
Hepatitis C
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether her Department's hepatitis C professional awareness campaign is complete; and what further plans the Department has to raise professional awareness of hepatitis C; [60866]
(2) what plans the Government have to run public awareness campaigns for Hepatitis C in future years. [60946]
Caroline Flint: The hepatitis C awareness campaign is ongoing. Plans for 2006–07 and 2007–08 have not yet been finalised.
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