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22 May 2006 : Column 1563W—continued
Funding (Northamptonshire)
Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the NHS (a) revenue and (b) capital expenditure per capita in Northamptonshire was in(i) 1997 and (ii) 2005; [70816]
(2) what the revenue budget was for health services in Northamptonshire in (a) 1995, (b) 2000 and (c) 2005. [70817]
Andy Burnham: The information is not available in the format requested. However, the table shows the total revenue and capital expenditure per head by organisations within the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland strategic health authority (SHA) area.
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Genito-Urinary Care
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the average waiting time was for an appointment at NHS genito-urinary medicine clinics in (a) England, (b) the North East and (c) the Tees Valley in each year since 1997; [71088]
(2) what measures are being taken by her Department to minimise regional variations in sexual health care. [71089]
Caroline Flint: The genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic waiting times audit collects data on waiting times for all GUM clinics in England for a period of one week every quarter. All patients attending a GUM clinic with a new episode or registering for the first time are asked to complete the short questionnaire on waiting times. This audit has been chosen as the method of monitoring and improving access to GUM services. Current analysis is published on numbers seen within 48 hours. The most recent survey is for February 2006 which shows that in England 51 per cent. of attendees were seen within 48 hours. This compares with 38 per cent. in May 2004, the earliest date for which figures are available.
A summary of the data is available on the Health Protection Agency's website at:
www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hiv_and_sti/epidemiology/results_Feb_2006.htm
Sexual health and access to GUM clinics is one of the six top priorities for the national health service in 2006-07. By 2008, everyone should be offered an appointment within 48 hours of contacting a GUM clinic. Strategic health authorities have all submitted plans to meet this target.
Health Improvement Workforce Steering Group
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the work of the Health Improvement Workforce Steering Group. [67425]
Ms Rosie Winterton: “Choosing Health” points out that the changes required to deliver its objectives will only occur if the right people, with the right skills are in place to deliver them and if barriers to change and old style professional boundaries are broken down. This means developing a work force within and outside the national health service with the capacity and capability at all levels—across the wider work force, in the leadership of organisations and among public health practitioners and specialists to contribute to health improvement.
This is why in the “Choosing Health” White Paper the Department established a health improvement work force programme board which has met regularly since July 2005. The primary function of the programme board is to monitor overall delivery of “Choosing Health” workforce commitments.
Linked to the board is a stakeholder reference group, with representation from all key strands of the public health work force across a wide range of organisations.
Health Promotion Campaigns
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment she has made of the impact of her Department's health campaign to reduce the incidence of smoking; [67327]
(2) what action her Department is taking to promote health campaigns related to (a) smoking, (b) salt, (c) mental health and (d) sexual health. [67332]
Caroline Flint: Since 1998, the Government have put in place a comprehensive strategy to tackle smoking and to reduce the deaths caused by smoking. The strategy focuses on action to discourage people from ever starting and help for all smokers, of whatever age and sex, to quit. We are aiming to create a climate where non-smoking is the norm.
We have banned almost all tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion; introduced clear tobacco pack warnings; run highly effective national anti-smoking education campaigns raising awareness of the health damage of smoking and second-hand smoke. People who wish to give up smoking can get help from the national health service to stop smoking—a world leading programme we set up.
The House agreed, by a very large majority, to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke by ending smoking in all enclosed public places and workplaces. This will mean every pub, club, membership club, cafe, restaurant, shopping centre, office and public and work transport will be smoke-free by summer 2007.
This strategy has helped reduce smoking rates in England from 28 per cent. in 1998 to 25 per cent. in 2004 some 1.2 million fewer smokers. These are the lowest smoking rates in England on record and indicate that the Government are on track to meet the target of 21 per cent. or lower smoking prevalence in 2010.
The Food Standards Agency is leading on a salt campaign to inform consumers of the potential consequences of too much salt in the diet and what steps they can take to reduce their intake. Phase one
activity took place in 2004, phase two in 2005 and consideration is now being given to a third phase.
We have promoted mental health through standard one of the national service framework for mental health; through the White Paper “Choosing Health”, which promotes the physical health of those with severe mental illness through guidance to the service on models of delivery; and through up-to-date evidence-based guidance on good practice and to support those engaged in mental health promotion across the country was published in October 2005 in “Making It Possible: improving mental health and well-being in England”. The White Paper “Our Health, our care, our say” represents our further commitment to making these simple messages more widely known by ensuring that mental well-being is included in the social marketing strategy currently being developed to support “Choosing Health”.
We provide support for implementation of mental health promotion at local level through the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE), part of the Care Services Improvement Partnership. Over the last 12 months, NIMHE has published quarterly “Mental Health Promotion Update” newsletters to inform and motivate mental health promotion staff across the country. The Department and NIMHE are also supporting the forthcoming national men's health week organised by the men's health forum, which this year focuses on men's mental health and well-being.
Our current plans are to aim to launch a sexual health campaign later this year. This will target 16 to 34-year-old men and women but with a concentration on the key 16 to 24 year age bracket. The campaign will focus on the risks of unprotected sex and the benefits of using condoms to avoid sexually transmitted infections including HIV and unintended pregnancies.
Health Protection Agency
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures exist for the Health Protection Agency to evaluate and make recommendations on measures to deal with infection control in hospitals; and how the recommendations are reported. [72731]
Caroline Flint: The Health Protection Agency is not responsible for infection control in hospitals. It carries out surveillance on behalf of the Department, provides general advice, and in collaboration with other stakeholders, carries out research and publishes recommendations on infection control. In addition, the HPA on request, advises on the control of outbreaks and incidents.
Healthy Eating
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with (a) the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and (b) Ofcom on controlling advertising aimed at children for foods high in fat, sugar and salt. [68565]
Caroline Flint: As outlined in the Choosing Health White Paper, the Department is committed to working with the broadcasting and advertising sectors on ways to help drive down levels of childhood obesity. The involvement of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, as the sponsor Department for the broadcasting and advertising industries and Ofcom, is crucial to progressing this work and departmental officials are in regular contact with them to discuss the food promotion agenda.
My hon. Friend, the then Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism (James Purnell), and I have also met with Ofcom to discuss further restrictions around food and drink advertising and promotion to children.
Healthy Start Programme
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many low income families have been provided with vouchers under the Healthy Start programme in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; what the cost has been of the programme; and if she will make a statement. [67413]
Caroline Flint: Phase one of Healthy Start commenced in Devon and Cornwall on 28 November 2005. The welfare food scheme continues in the rest of England, Wales and Scotland. At present approximately 9,600 families in Devon and Cornwall are receiving Healthy Start vouchers. The cost of Healthy Start vouchers and administering the scheme in Devon and Cornwall to date is approximately £1,525,000.
Further costs incurred to date are:
£33,000 for one-off training provided to selected health professionals in Devon and Cornwall;
£275,910 to develop and produce information materials to support delivery of Healthy Start; and
£117,300 for an independent rapid evaluation of the impact of phase one, including an evaluation of the effectiveness of the training for health professionals.
The evaluation of phase one of Healthy Start is still underway and will inform phase two, roll out of Healthy Start vouchers across Great Britain, in autumn 2006.
Insulin
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2006, Official Report, column 919W, on insulin, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of deaths attributable to insulin overdoses. [71545]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Safer use of medicines is a key element in the Government's drive to increase the quality and safety of care in the national health service. “Building a safer NHS for patients—improving medication safety” was published in January 2004. The report stems from our commitment, first set out in “An Organisation with a Memory”, to reduce the frequency of serious medication errors by 40 per cent, and sets
out some of the causes of errors, including those around insulin administration, and examples of good practice to reduce risks.
Improving medication safety is also one of the National Patient Safety Agency’s (NPSA) priorities. With the developing work programme of the NPSA, and as part of our overall drive to improve quality and safety of care, these recommendations will help make drug treatment safer for NHS patients.
Leisure Centres (Food/Drink Sales)
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued to local authorities on the criteria they should apply to food and drink sold at leisure centres and other sports facilities. [70184]
Caroline Flint: No formal guidance has been issued to local authorities on this topic. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Department provide advice to caterers on healthier catering practice. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provides some guidance on procurement through its public sector food procurement initiative and this includes the Department's and FSA's advice on healthier food provision.
Lung Cancer
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions she has had with stakeholders on increasing expenditure on lung cancer research; [71737]
(2) what the terms of reference are for the National Cancer Research Institute’s (NCRI) review of lung cancer research; and when she expects the NCRI to publish its report. [71738]
Caroline Flint [holding answers 18 May 2006]: The Department is working closely with its research funding partners(1) through the National Cancer Research Institute's (NCRI) strategic planning group to enhance national research efforts on lung cancer.
The aim of the lung cancer strategic planning group is to take strategic oversight of research in the field, and to identify opportunities for appropriate action by NCRI member organisations, either collaboratively or individually, in order to have maximum impact for the benefit of patients and their carers.
The group has defined its terms of reference in relation to its role, which is to answer the following questions:
How can we maximise impact for the benefit of patients and the public?
What is the past and present state of United Kingdom research in this area?
What are likely to be future demands and opportunities in the area?
Are there any obstacles to research?
If there are obstacles, what is their nature?
How can we overcome the obstacles?
What can we learn from other countries?
The NCRI expects to publish the group’s report before the end of the year.
(1) Including the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, and Macmillan Cancer Support
Lupus
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) England and (b) Shropshire were diagnosed with lupus in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005. [72159]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Data on the number of people diagnosed with lupus is not collected.
Maternity Services
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the procedures recently adopted for the reconfiguration proposals of existing community hospitals also apply to (a) midwife-led and (b) other maternity units. [72433]
Andy Burnham: As stated in paragraph 25 of the White Paper, ‘Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services’, the Department aims to provide more care in more local and convenient settings.
However, decision making on specific local healthcare provision, including midwife-led and other maternity units, is a matter for primary care trusts and strategic health authorities in consultation with the local population.
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