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17 May 2006 : Column 1117W—continued
Population Statistics
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account primary care trusts funding formulae take of the proportion of over 25-year olds in a local population. [68394]
Andy Burnham: The weighted capitation formula, which informs revenue allocations to primary care trusts, includes adjustments for age related need to reflect that demand for healthcare varies according to the age structure of the local population.
Each component of the formula has its own age weights which are shown in the tables.
| Table 1: Hospital and community health service age weights | |
| Age band | Weighting (£) |
| Table 2: Prescribing age-sex weights | ||
| Age band | Male | Female |
| Table 3: Primary medical services age-sex weights (expressed as the ratio to males aged five to 14) | ||
| Age band | Male | Female |
Premature Babies
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many babies have been born prematurely in each of the last five years; and what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into links between premature birth and (i) areas of deprivation and (ii) environment. [69347]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The available information about length of gestation at delivery is published annually in table 21 of the statistical bulletin NHS Maternity Statistics: England. Copies of the bulletins, the latest of which relates to 2003-04, are available in the Library and also on the Department's website at
www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/1070/61/04107061.pdf.
The main agency through which the Government support medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Innovation. The MRC supports a large portfolio of reproductive tract research and underpinning reproductive medicine and paediatric research.
The Department funds research to support policy and to provide the evidence needed to underpin quality improvement and service development in the national health service. The policy research programme in particular supports the national perinatal epidemiology unit. Much of the unit's work on the compromised foetus and baby focuses on or is linked to preterm birth.
Over 75 per cent. of the Department's total expenditure on health research is currently devolved to and managed by NHS organisations. Details of individual projects including a number concerned with premature birth are available on the national research register at
www.dh.gov.uk/research.
Self-harm
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many children have been treated in hospital for self-harm in each of the last five years; [69342]
(2) how many children self-harmed in each of the last five years; [69378]
(3) how many children were admitted to hospital following incidents of self-harm in each of the last five years. [69379]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: In 2002, a survey by the Office for National Statistics of 12,000 five to 15-year-olds has found that 1.3 per cent. had tried to harm themselves. The available information on children admitted and treated in hospital is shown in the table.
Total finished admission episodes and total patients for under-18s admitted to hospital due to deliberate self-harm in the past five years in NHS hospitals England, financial years 2000-01 to 2004-05:
| Children admitted by data year | ||
| Data year | Total episodes | Total patients |
Specialised Commissioning
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education and Skills about the review of specialised commissioning. [69309]
Andy Burnham: The review of commissioning arrangements for specialised services is an independent review commissioned by Health Ministers and will be considered appropriately when the report is received.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which interested parties will be consulted as part of her Department’s review of specialised commissioning; and over what time period the review will take place. [69311]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The review of commissioning arrangements for specialised services received 144 written submissions. A list of the written submissions has been placed in the Library. Additionally, the review ran an accelerated policy-making day with over 80 attendees and attended workshops with groups such as the NHS Confederation, the National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group and the Specialised Healthcare Alliance. Meetings were also held with officials from various bodies, for example specialised commissioning groups, Monitor (the independent regulator of NHS foundation trusts), the Audit Commission and the Healthcare Commission. The review report will be submitted to Ministers shortly.
Strategic Health Authorities
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff are employed by each strategic health authority; and at what cost in 2005-06. [69823]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is shown in table one. This relates to the current 28 strategic health authorities (SHAs) that from 1 July 2006 will be reduced to 10 (as set out in written ministerial statement on 16 May 2006).
| Table 1: National health service hospital and community health services: NHS staff by SHA and by main staff groups in England as at 30 September 2005 | |
| Headcount | |
| All NHS staff | |
| Source: The Information Centre for health and social care, medical and dental workforce census The Information Centre for health and social care, non-medical workforce census |
The total staff costs for permanent staff at the SHAs for 2004-05 are shown in table two. Source for the data is the 2004-05 audited summarisation forms for the SHAs. 2005-06 data will be available in the autumn.
| Table 2 | |
| SHA name | Staff costs (£000) |
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