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26 Apr 2006 : Column 1204W—continued

HEALTH

Acute Hospital Beds

Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many acute hospital beds per head of population there are in (a) London, (b) each region and (c) each strategic health authority area. [64332]

Jane Kennedy: Data for the latest available year 2004–05 are shown in the table. Data are not available on a regional basis.
Acute hospital beds per population in each strategic health authority area (SHA)

SHA codeSHA nameAcute bedsPopulationBeds per 100,000 people
Q01Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire4,7412,238,151211.8
Q02Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire2,1981,617,537135.9
Q03Essex2,4751,635,605151.3
Q04North West London4,0121,834,066218.7
Q05North Central London3,3001,227,957268.8
Q06North East London3,3921,531 ,427221.5
Q07South East London3,1021,514,122204.9
Q08South West London2,8701,321,018217.3
Q09Northumberland, Tyne and Wear3,8131,396,374273.0
Q10County Durham and Tees Valley2,7401,148,699238.5
Q11North and East Yorkshire and North Lines3,2241,652,387195.1
Q12West Yorkshire4,6662,108,028221.3
Q13Cumbria and Lancashire4,2741,929,653221.5
Q14Greater Manchester7,0802,539,043278.8
Q15Cheshire and Merseyside6,5122,358,474276.1
Q16Thames Valley3,9182,120,859184.7
Q17Hampshire and Isle of Wight3,6011,801,442199.9
Q18Kent and Medway2,5491,610,310158.3
Q19Surrey and Sussex4,7482,577,631184.2
Q20Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire5,3932,206,246244.5
Q21South West Peninsula4,1591,619,062256.9
Q22Dorset and Somerset2,6471,212,892218.2
Q23South Yorkshire3,8661,278,434302.4
Q24Trent5,1302,687,496190.9
Q25Leicestershire, Northants and Rutland3,0201,592,211189.7
Q26Shropshire and Staffordshire2,7591,499,568184.0
Q27Birmingham and the Black Country6,1162,274,964268.9
Q28West Midlands South3,1991,559,474205.2
England Total109,50550,093,130218.6




Note:
Data are from financial year 2004–05.
Source:
Department of Health form KH03




BCG Vaccinations

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding her Department spent delivering BCG vaccinations in (a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04, (c) 2004–05 and (d) 2005–06 in each London borough; how many were delivered in each case; and if she will make a statement. [64401]

Caroline Flint: This information is not available in the form requested.

Funding for immunisation services including the bacille-calmette guerin (BCG) vaccination programme, form part of the annual allocation to primary care trusts (PCTs). PCTs are responsible for the management of those monies and the running of immunisation programmes.
 
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The number of people vaccinated with BCG vaccine is collected annually by PCTs. This information is published by National Statistics in 'NHS Immunisation Statistics, England', which is available in the Library.

Birth Statistics

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many babies were born at (a) Liverpool Women's hospital, (b) Whiston hospital, (c) Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust, (d) Wigan and Wrightington NHS Trust and (e) Royal Preston hospital in (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2004–05. [64231]

Mr. Byrne: The information is not available in the format requested. The information in the table contains figures for deliveries registered for 2000–01 and 2003–04 which is the latest year for which data is available.
Deliveries registered
2000–012003–04
Liverpool Women's Hospital5,8736,456
Whiston Hospital2,6472,559
Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals1,9612,237
Billinge Hospital, Wigan2,8562,829
Sharoe Green Hospital, Preston3,6053,717

Blindness

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what timetable has been set for reviewing progress towards meeting the goal of eradicating preventable blindness under the Vision 2020 initiative; and how her Department plans to measure the progress made. [66115]

Ms Rosie Winterton: We are committed to the principles of Vision 2020 for the elimination of avoidable blindness and have a range of activity in place to improve eye health. By 2008, the maximum waiting time for cataract operations is due to be reduced to 18 weeks from the point of general practitioner referral.

Primary care trusts (PCTs) are expected to deliver the national commitment that by the end of 2007, 100 per cent. of people with diabetes will be offered screening for the early detection (and treatment if needed) of diabetic retinopathy as part of a systematic programme that meets national standards.

The National Institute for Health Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued its guidance on photodynamic therapy on 24 September 2003. Since June 2004, all PCTs have been funding photodynamic therapy treatment for patients with both the wholly classic and predominantly classic forms of age-related macular degeneration.

Glaucoma was referred to NICE in November 2005. NICE will prepare a clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of raised intraocular pressure and ocular hypertension.

The eye care services steering group has developed evidence-based pathways for four key eye conditions: cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and low vision services. We are currently testing the latter three pathways and will share our findings with the national health service as they progress. The pilots are due to be evaluated later this year.
 
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We expect this programme of work to meet the aims of the Vision 2020 programme. These programmes either have set targets for progress or are subject to regular review as part of mainstream business of delivering health services.

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department plans to take to increase public awareness of the role an eye test plays in (a) preventing avoidable blindness and (b) diagnosing diabetes. [66116]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Free sight tests are available under the national health service to large parts of the population including children, those aged 16 to 18 in full-time education, people on benefits, those people at particular risk of developing eye disease, and people who are registered blind or partially sighted or who have a complex spectacle prescription. In addition, in April 1999, we extended free sight tests to all people aged 60 and over. Sight tests allow the opportunity to review all aspects of eye health, including investigations for signs of disease. Those at risk of specific eye disease, for example diabetic retinopathy, may be asked to attend regular screening.

Information about the extensive arrangements for providing help with NHS optical services and other health costs are publicised in leaflet HC11 'Are you entitled to help with health costs?' Posters are also available for display in optical practices and hospital out-patient departments.

The Department is also working with the Department for Work and Pensions on updating their leaflet 'Are you over 50?' This leaflet includes information about health and contact numbers for organisations which can provide further advice. We intend to include information in this publication highlighting the four leading eye conditions and promoting the benefits of regular sight testing.

Capita

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much business her Department has placed with (a) Capita Group plc and (b) its subsidiaries in each of the last five years; what the total value is of outstanding contracts placed with Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries by her Department; for which current tenders issued by her Department (i) Capita Group plc and (ii) its subsidiaries have been invited to bid; and whether (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries have seconded staff (1) temporarily and (2) on a longer-term basis to (X) her Department and (Y) its agencies. [61075]

Mr. Byrne: The total amount spent with Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in 2004–05 and to the end of February 2006 for the financial period 2005–06 is shown in the table.
£

Financial year
Capita subsidiary2004–052005–06(38)
Capita Business Services Ltd.540,112314,625
Capita Healthcare Solutions55,41962,591
Capita SHG ResourcingNil1,002,325


(38) To end of February 2006



 
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Information prior to 2004–05 is not readily available and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.

The only outstanding contract is with Capita Health Solutions to provide the Department's occupational health services. The total value of this contract is £195,000.

We do not hold centrally information that would allow for an analysis of how many tenders Capita Group plc or its subsidiaries have been invited to bid for, and could not obtain this information without incurring disproportionate costs.

Our records indicate that currently, there are no staff seconded to the Department from Capita Group plc or its subsidiaries.

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the value of contracts held by her Department with (a) Capita plc and (b) its subsidiaries was in the last three financial years. [61465]

Mr. Byrne: The total amount spent with Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in 2004–05 and to the end of February 2006 for the financial period 2005–06 is shown in the following table.
£

Financial year
Capita subsidiary2004–052005–06(39)
Capita Business Services Ltd.540,112314,625
Capita Healthcare Solutions55,41962,591
Capita SHG ResourcingNil1,002,325


(39) As at 28 February 2006


Information prior to 2004–05 is not readily available and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.


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