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24 May 2006 : Column 1882W—continued
Mr. Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) neonatal intensive care cots and (b) special care cots in London were not being used due to a lack of staff in the latest period for which figures are available. [72373]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to change the number of neonatal nurses in London. [72374]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: It is for the local national health service to ensure that staff numbers are at a sufficient level to meet the needs of the local population.
Neurology
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment her Department has made of the accuracy of diagnosis of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies in NHS patients; and what estimate her Department has made of the number of undiagnosed cases; [71182]
(2) what steps she is taking to increase awareness of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies in the medical profession; [71183]
(3) what plans she has to change the number of (a) consultants and (b) nurses qualified to diagnose and treat hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies; [71184]
(4) what Government support is available to those who are diagnosed with hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies and their families; and if she will make a statement. [71185]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The detail of the content of curricula for doctors in training and maintaining skills and knowledge are professional matters.
Those most severely affected by neurological disorders, including those that are genetic in origin, have access to the full range of health and social services support as outlined in the national service framework for long-term conditions. This includes:
Joint health and social care plans that change over time and take other needs into account such as housing, transport, benefits, education, careers advice, employment and leisure;
Access to a broad range of services including rehabilitation, equipment, accommodation, personal care to help people live as independently as possible at home; and
Support to help people to work or take up other vocational opportunities.
We have not assessed the accuracy of diagnosis, and cannot practically estimate who carries the defective gene.
We have no plans to develop new clinical specialties in this area. Our efforts are focused on securing an adequate work force—including clinicians, therapists and medical scientists—to meet the current and forecast needs of all patients.
NeuroMuscular Centre
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been allocated to the NeuroMuscular Centre at Winsford for the next five years. [72835]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The NeuroMuscular Centre at Winsford is a charity that has not applied for, nor been allocated, any departmental funding.
Non-emergency Treatment
Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on what basis Mr. Edward Atkinson has been told that non-emergency treatment at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn, will not be available to him in the future; what categories of offender are not eligible for non-emergency treatment at Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Trust; what measures are in place to ensure Mr. Atkinson receives appropriate treatment; and if she will make a statement; [73264]
(2) how many people serving sentences for (a) murder, (b) rape and (c) grievous bodily harm have been told they may not attend national health service hospitals for non-emergency treatment. [73265]
Andy Burnham: The guidance framework on the withholding of national health service treatment from violent and abusive patients was issued by the Department in 2001 following on from the cross-government zero tolerance campaign introduced in 2000, to tackle violence in the NHS. The guidance highlighted that the withholding of NHS treatment from violent and abusive patients will always be a last resort, but should be an option available to managers and staff working in all NHS trusts, with certain exemptions including those requiring urgent medical treatment or under the age of 16. The guidance made explicit that all NHS trusts develop local policies on withholding treatment from violent and abusive patients in consultation with independent legal advice on the terms and application of such a policy; and trusts must also have in place clear defensible policies and procedures outlining the circumstances where the withholding of treatment is justifiable.
Information is not collected on the number of prisoners who have had NHS treatment withheld as a result of NHS policies on protecting staff from violence and abuse.
Since then the Government created the NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS) in April 2003. The NHS SMS has launched a comprehensive strategy, which has replaced work previously undertaken under the NHS Zero Tolerance campaign. The NHS SMS strategy places a particular emphasis on the introduction of preventative measures to stop
violent incidents from occurring in the first place. In 2004, the NHS SMS issued guidance covering the application of this strategy in the context of tackling the whole issue of non-physical assaults on NHS staff.
The West Norfolk Primary Care Trust is advising Mr. Atkinson’s general practitioner so that alternative routes to treatment can be found through the “Patient Choice” agenda.
Osteoporosis
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps she is taking to improve the information and support offered to people with osteoporosis; [69597]
(2) what assessment she has made of the impact the proposals in the White Paper, “Our Health, Our Care, Our Say”, will have on (a) the management of osteoporosis, (b) choice for osteoporosis patients and (c) the number of osteoporosis fractures; [69598]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department has not assessed the impact of the White Paper, “Our Health, Our care, Our Say” on osteoporosis services or the number of osteoporotic fractures.
“Our Health, Our care, Our Say” will build on the progress that has already been made in the management of a range of long-term conditions, giving people greater choice and control over the care they receive and ensuring that they are treated sooner, closer to home and earlier in the course of their disease.
PRODIGY guidance which is available at www.prodigy.nhs.uk offers advice on the management of a range of conditions and symptoms, including osteoporosis, that are commonly seen in primary care. The guidance is advisory and has been developed to assist healthcare professionals, together with patients, make decisions about the management of the patient’s health.
The Department has also asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to produce a clinical guideline on the assessment of risk fracture and prevention of osteoporotic fractures in individuals at high risk.
Osteoporosis can often be prevented by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and, through a range of initiatives, the Department is raising awareness of the importance of regular exercise, a balanced diet, smoking prevention/cessation and a responsible attitude to alcohol consumption in the prevention of a range of conditions, including osteoporosis.
Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department plans to take to safeguard patient care at the Oxford Radcliffe hospitals trust following the prospective job losses. [73345]
Caroline Flint: It is the responsibility of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to analyse their local situation and develop plans, in liaison with their local national health service trusts and primary care
providers, to deliver high quality NHS services and take action to recruit the appropriate staff required to deliver these services.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will reply to Question 65812 from the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington, on the ‘Choose and Book’ system, tabled on 20 April 2006. [72070]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: A reply was given on 17 May 2006, Official Report, column 1094W.
Petitions
Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place in her Department for responding to petitions presented in the House and forwarded to her. [72395]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: A ministerial reply is sent in response to all petitions where there are contact details for a lead organisation or individual.
Petitions are then kept for a period of years.
Portland PR
Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings officials in her Department have had with representatives of the public relations company Portland PR; what contracts Portland PR has with her Department and agencies for which she has responsibility; and what the nature of the contract is in each case. [65088]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department does not maintain a central list of such meetings. Civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and business delivery. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Code and Guidance for civil servants on contacts with lobbyists and people outside Government
The Department does not have any contracts with Portland PR and does not hold records of contracts let by its agencies.
Section 64 Grants
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the section 64 grants for 2006-07 that have been paid by her Department, broken down by (a) recipient and (b) the sum paid; and if she will make a statement. [71149]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: This information will be available on the Department’s website at www.dh.gov.uk/section64 at the end of May 2006.
Self-harm
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate she has made of the number of children and young people who self-harm, broken down by (a) sex and (b) ethnic group. [71248]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Information is not collected in the form requested. In 2002, a survey by the Office for National Statistics of 12,000 five to 15-year-olds found that 1.3 per cent. had tried to self-harm.
Spinal Injuries
Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the impact on NHS costs of ensuring appropriate (a) rehabilitation and (b) care of spinal cord injured people in specialised settings. [71915]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department has not made an assessment of the impact on national health service costs of ensuring appropriate rehabilitation and care of spinal cord injured people in specialised settings.
The Department does not routinely collect detailed costings for services provided by the NHS for specific conditions. It is the responsibility of primary care trusts to determine the provision and appropriate funding of local services based on the needs of their populations. With regard to specialised services, primary care trusts are expected to collaboratively commission them through their membership of the eight specialised commissioning groups and 26 local specialised commissioning groups covering England.
Student Nurses
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the employment prospects for student nurses graduating in 2006. [73343]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The national health service still needs newly qualified nurses to replace those who retire or take career breaks. However, there is now more competition and new staff may not always be able to find the job they want in the location they want and may need to be more flexible.
Strategic health authorities and NHS trusts are working proactively to identify opportunities for newly qualified staff within their workforce plans.
Third Sector Funding
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the review of departmental funding to the third sector has been completed. [72824]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 23 May 2006]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 24 April 2006, Official Report, column 967W.
Transport
Aircraft Safety
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from (a) the Independent Pilots Association and (b) the British Airline Pilots Association on potential under-reporting of contaminated air events on UK registered aircraft. [70760]
Gillian Merron: The information is as follows:
(a) The Department checked with IPA who confirmed they had not sent representations. However, they have since written to Sir Roy McNulty, chairman of the CAA, on 12 May 2006, about contaminated air events and the Department has been sent a copy. This letter mentions, among other matters, potential under-reporting.
(b) The Department has useful working contacts with BALPA. Both DFT and BALPA want to develop an authoritative understanding of cabin air quality issues. The Department has therefore commissioned the independent Committee on Toxicity (COT) to conduct a comprehensive evidence review of any health risks in cabin air. The formal COT meeting will be held in public later this year. BALPA has contributed actively to this process.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the impact on human health of exposure to pyrolised synthetic jet engine oils; and in what year the Department first received a representation on this matter; [70761]
(2) what epidemiological surveys have been carried out on the long-term impact of repeated exposure of pilots to chemicals, with particular reference to potential neuropsychological impacts; [70764]
(3) what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effects on health of exposure on commercial aircraft to pyrolised synthetic jet engine oils (i) dermally and (ii) via inhalation. [70765]
Gillian Merron: The Department has commissioned the independent Committee on Toxicity (COT) to conduct a comprehensive evidence review of any such health risks in cabin air. The formal COT meeting will be held in public later this year. The Departmentwill be guided by the COT conclusions and recommendations.
It is not possible to state the exact year in which the Department first received representations on this matter, although there is a record of a parliamentary question on 11 December 2001 from Paul Tyler MP, and the issue was covered in the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology into the issue of Air Travel and Health which reported in November 2000. In its evidence to that Committee BALPA said it had raised concerns with the then Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information is held by the Civil Aviation Authority in relation to contaminated air
incidents on British Aerospace BAE 146 aircraft between 28 January and December 2005. [70762]
Gillian Merron: The Civil Aviation Authority has 10 records in relation to incidents between 28 January and December 2005. These records are set out in a table, which has been placed in the Libraries of the House today.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on airline safety of the inhalation by a pilot of the organophosphate tricresyl phosphate; and if he will make a statement. [71819]
Gillian Merron: In 2004 the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) published safety research into fume events that concluded that
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