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8 Jun 2006 : Column 842W—continued


Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) why her Department has ended its contract for the Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin; [75796]

(2) what research was undertaken in advance of the cancellation of the distribution of the Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin to NHS doctors. [76395]

Andy Burnham: The decision not to renew the Department’s national contract for distribution of the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin was informed by our policy to devolve as much responsibility as possible to the national health service and to look very critically at central spending. It is our policy that central spending should be kept to an absolute minimum in order to maximise the resources available for the NHS to manage at local level. The decision also took account of the availability of other sources of medicines information.

E-coli 0157

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the location and suspected causes of reported outbreaks of E-coli 0157 in the UK over the last 12 months. [73760]

Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the following tables.

Escherichia coli 0157 reported outbreaks—England and Wales 2005( 1)
Health protection unit Foodborne outbreaks Non-foodborne outbreaks

West Yorkshire—Bradford

2

Cambridgeshire

1

Cumbria

1

1

East Midlands South

1

Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, North of Tyne

1

Wales (Bridgend)

1

Wales (Powys)

1

National

1

Total

4

6

(1) Provisional data.
Source:
Health Protection Agency

Escherichia coli 0157 reported outbreaks—Scotland 2005( 1)
NHS board Foodborne outbreaks Non-foodborne outbreaks Unknown( 2)

Argyll and Clyde

1

Ayrshire and Arran

1

2

Borders

1

Dumfries and Galloway

2

Grampian

2

Greater Glasgow

1

Highland

1

Tayside

1

National

1

Total

1

6

6

(1) Provisional data.
(2) No summary report forms completed locally and returned to Health Protection Scotland.
Source:
Health Protection Scotland

8 Jun 2006 : Column 843W

Escherichia coli 0157 reported outbreaks—Northern Ireland 2005( 1)
Location Foodborne outbreaks Non-foodborne outbreaks Unknown

Northern Health and Social Services Board

1

1

Total

0

1

1

(1) Provisional data.
Source:
Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre Northern Ireland

Fairford Hospital

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to reply to Gloucestershire county council regarding the referral of Fairford Hospital in March. [75662]

Caroline Flint: The referral from Gloucestershire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Cotswold
8 Jun 2006 : Column 844W
and Vale Primary Care Trust’s decision to close inpatient facilities at Tetbury and Fairford community hospitals is currently under consideration, and a decision will be made once the information has been considered.

General Practitioners

Mr. Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GPs there were per head of population in the Carlisle primary care trust area in each year since 1996. [67328]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information is not available in the format requested. However, data for the Carlisle primary care trust (PCT) dating back to 2001 is shown in the following table.

General medical practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars)( 1) per 100,000 head of population, for Carlisle and district PCT, 2001-05
All practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars)( 1) All practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars)( 1) per 100,000 head of population

2001

71

62.2

2002

72

62.9

2003

74

64.2

2004

75

64.1

2005

80

68.4

“..” denotes data not applicable.
(1) General medical practitioners, excluding retainers and registrars, includes contracted general practitioners (GPs), general medical service (GMS) others and personal medical service (PMS) others. Prior to September 2004, this group included GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs, PMS salaried GPs, restricted principals, assistants, salaried doctors (Para 52 SFA), PMS other, flexible career scheme GPs and GP returners.
Notes:
1. 2004 population figures from the 2001 Office for National Statistics (ONS) resident estimates have been used for 2005 calculations, as population figures for 2005 at organisation level are not yet available, this figure is therefore subject to change.
2. GP figures given for September 2005, but as yet ONS have not published an up to date 2005 population figure by organisation. Therefore, the calculation for 2005 is based on the 2004 population figures and is therefore subject to change.
3. Data as at 1 October 1996 to 1999 and 30 September 2000 to 2005.
Source:
The Information Centre for health and social care, general and personal medical services statistics 2001 ONS Population Census

Head Injuries

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to ensure that progress is made against the quality requirements of the National Service Framework for Long-Term Neurological Conditions published in March 2005; and what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) local authorities and (b) NHS Trusts are implementing the national service framework. [76152]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: Since publication of the national service framework (NSF) for long-term conditions, the Department has co-ordinated a range of activity to help local authority social care organisations and national health service bodies take forward implementation of the NSF. This includes:

Progress on implementation will be measured in a number of ways, including:

Health Funding (Gloucestershire)

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to reduce the gap in health funding between Gloucestershire and the national average; and if she will make a statement. [74271]


8 Jun 2006 : Column 845W

Caroline Flint: The aim of the weighted-capitation formula, which informs revenue allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs), is to provide equal access for equal need in all parts of the country, and to reduce health inequalities.

The components of the formula weight each PCT’s crude population, according to their relative need (age, and additional need) for healthcare and the unavoidable geographical differences in the cost of providing healthcare (the market forces factor).

The weighted-capitation formula is used to set targets, it does not determine allocations. Actual
8 Jun 2006 : Column 846W
allocations reflect decisions on the speed at which PCTs are brought nearer to target through the distribution of extra funds (pace of change policy).

To ensure equity in funding, the pace of change policy for the 2006-08 revenue allocations has moved more quickly towards their fair share of funds. In 2003-04, the most under-target PCT was 22 per cent. under target. By 2007-08, no PCT will be more than .5 per cent. below its fair share.

The following table shows the 2006-07 and 2007-08 revenue allocations made to PCTs in Gloucestershire.

2006-07 allocation 2007-08 allocation Two year increase 2007-08 closing DFT
PCT £000 £000 £000 Percentage Percentage

Cheltenham and Tewkesbury

181,446

198,605

32,341

19.5

-0.2

Cotswold and Vale

222,132

240,253

34,858

17.0

3.3

South Gloucestershire

250,189

275,190

45,949

20.0

-0.8

West Gloucestershire

266,091

292,350

48,551

19.9

-1.3


Health Service Budgets

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which (a) primary care trusts and (b) hospital trusts showed financial deficits in 2005-06; how much those deficits were; and if she will make a statement. [74264]

Andy Burnham: The 2004-05 audited financial position and the 2005-06 unaudited position, as submitted to the Department by national health service organisations (strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and NHS trusts) is available on the Department website, and can be accessed at:


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