| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
22 May 2006 : Column 1589W—continued
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government is taking to ensure that information on how to receive the BCG vaccination is available following the decision to end the school-based vaccination programme. [71486]
Caroline Flint: The Chief Medical Officer announced changes to the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) programme via a letter to the medical profession and primary care trusts on 6 July 2005. In support of these changes an updated leaflet, factsheet, and poster were produced and sent directly to the groups listed above. All of these resources were aimed at raising awareness of tuberculosis (TB), and also informing health professionals and the general public alike, of the changes to BCG policy. All these resources were also made available to order free of charge via the Department publications line.
The 6 July 2005 policy changes also meant that the tuberculin skin test was given in a different way, with the Mantoux test replacing the Heaf test. The Department produced a flip chart and DVD for training purposes. These were made available to order free of charge via the Department publications line and sent directly to all TB clinics. Following these changes, the Department held a meeting of immunisation co-ordinators who are responsible for implementation of the BCG programme within their localities. The public information materials were shared with the co-ordinators and their views obtained.
The Department has also carried out public awareness testing on matters relating to TB and its control, and all information materials on TB and BCG are pre-tested with members of the public.
Terminal Illness
Mr. Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) Witham, Braintree and Halstead Primary Care Trust area and (b) England
were diagnosed with a terminal illness in 2004-05; and how many of these were given a life expectancy of less than 12 months for each area. [60460]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Trans Fatty Acids
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the health effects of trans fatty acids. [71439]
Caroline Flint: The Government are aware of the health effects of consuming certain fats, including trans fatty acids (TFAs), particularly on coronary health.
An assessment in 2004 by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) agreed with earlier conclusions of the United Kingdom's committee on medical aspects of food policy that TFAs may increase risk of coronary heart disease by raising blood cholesterol levels.
Uttlesford Primary Care Trust
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the financial position of the Uttlesford primary care trust. [68431]
Andy Burnham: For 2005-06 at month six, Uttlesford primary care trust is forecasting a net year-end deficit of £1.2 million.
Waiting Times
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many patients are waiting for dialysis at Dorset county hospital; [68306]
(2) what the longest time is for which a patient has been waiting for dialysis at Dorset county hospital. [68308]
Caroline Flint: Dialysis is an emergency treatment for patients with established renal failure, therefore patients are given immediate priority treatment as soon as possible following diagnosis.
The Dorset and Somerset strategic health authority has advised officials that there is a robust plan in place to increase dialysis capacity in Dorset by an additional 60 dialysis stations. The plan is being overseen by a renal programme implementation team, which includes clinical, patient and carer representatives.
Part of the proposals include the development of a new renal unit at Alderney community hospital. Other options include investigating potential alternative national health service sites and the use of a private sector unit. In addition, West Dorset general hospitals NHS trust is developing an interim capacity plan to ensure patients requiring renal dialysis receive appropriate treatment.
Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the change in patient waiting times in the constituency of Brentford and Isleworth since 1997. [71095]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: It is for the local national health service to assess patient waiting times in the local area and to ensure that waiting time targets are met.
The table shows the number of patients waiting by time bands for the quarter ending March 1997 to March 2006 for Hounslow primary care trust (PCT), Ealing PCT and Hammersmith and Fulham PCT including the Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow Health Authority (HA) which existed before the creation of the PCTs.
| In-patients still waiting by timeband, quarter ending March 1997 to March 2006, Commissioner based, Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow HA | ||||||||
| Patients waiting for an admission in months | ||||||||
| Quarter ending March | In-patient waiting list | 0<3 | 3<6 | 6<9 | 9<12 | 12<15 | 15<18 | 18<21 |
| Corresponding PCTs in the former HA | |||||||||
| Patients waiting for an admission in months | |||||||||
| PCT | Quarter ending March | In-patient waiting list | 0<3 | 3<6 | 6<9 | 9<12 | 12<15 | 15<18 | 18+ |
| Note:. PCTs came into existence from April 2002. Before then the data are supplied by the corresponding HA. Source: Department of Health form QF01. |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |