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13 July 2006 : Column 2047W—continued
Diabetes
Joan Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the most recent rate of registered diabetes was in
(a) Stoke-on-Trent, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England. [80598]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The figures are not available in the format requested. The most recent data available on people registered as having diabetes are from the quarter four local delivery plan returns (LDPR) for 2005-06. The total numbers of patients with diabetes on practice-based registers for Stoke-on-Trent, the West Midlands and England, are shown in the following table.
| Organisation/ primary care trust (PCT) | Number of people with diabetes as recorded on practice-based registers | General practitioner (GP) registered population | Rate per 100,000 population |
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions her Department has had with Diabetes UK about the impact on patients of proposed price reductions set out in the consultation “arrangements for the provision of dressings and chemical reagents to primary care”; [82338]
(2) what discussions her Department has had with the in vitro diagnostics industry on the impact of proposed price changes to chemical reagents on their ability to continue to provide patient services and hardware free of charge; [82336]
(3) when her Department will publish in full the responses received to the Government consultation on the arrangements for the provision of dressings, incontinence appliances, stoma appliances, chemical reagents and other appliances to primary and secondary care; [82335]
(4) pursuant to the Government consultation arrangements for the provision of dressings and chemical reagents to primary care, what criteria were used to determine the figure of 15 per cent. for the proposed price reduction for chemical reagents; and if she will make a statement; [82333]
(5) what discussions have taken place between the diabetes policy team and the commercial directorate in her Department on her Department's consultations on (a) arrangements for the provision of dressings, incontinence appliances, stoma appliances, chemical reagents and other appliances to primary and secondary care, and (b) arrangements for the provision of dressings and chemical reagents to primary care; and if she will make a statement; [82332]
(6) what factors were taken into account when setting the length of the consultation period for her Department's consultation on arrangements for the provision of dressings and chemical reagents to primary care; and if she will make a statement; [82331]
(7) what steps she is taking to ensure that the availability of blood-glucose testing products and support services to diabetes patients will not be affected by proposed changes in the Government consultation arrangements for the provision of dressings and chemical reagents to primary care. [82339]
Andy Burnham: The Department has been reviewing the arrangements for the provision of chemical reagents (blood glucose testing strips), dressings, incontinence appliances and stoma appliances to primary and secondary care since October 2005.
In the intervening period, two consultations papers have been published that sought views from interested parties on proposed changes to the arrangements. Interested parties includes patients, the national health service and manufacturers and suppliers. These parties were informed that the Department was seeking their comments on the proposed changes. Responses were received to both consultations from Diabetes UK and from the in-vitro diagnostic industry, both individually and through their trade body, BIVDA.
The first consultation—“arrangements for the provision of chemical reagents, dressings, incontinence appliances and stoma appliances to primary and secondary care”—was open for 90 days and the second—“arrangements for the provision of dressings and chemical reagents to primary care”—for 30 days.
The shorter period for the second consultation was judged to be warranted as it was part of an ongoing process that had begun with the first consultation in October 2005.
The second consultation stated that the Department believes that current reimbursement prices for some dressings and reagents may not represent value-for-money for either the NHS or taxpayers. Therefore, it proposed that a reduction in the reimbursement price through Part IX of the drug tariff should be made on some dressings and some reagents and sought views on this.
The proposed reduction in the reimbursement price on some reagents was 15 per cent. In arriving at this, the Department believes that one of the clearest indications of value-for-money is the difference between reimbursement prices in primary care, and the prices at which these products are available in secondary care. The Department believes that a comparison between the sectors is appropriate, subject to a number of adjustments to reflect factors unique to each sector.
These factors include differences in the underlying costs associated with supply of products to primary and secondary care. Packaging specifications, pack sizes, logistics costs and margins across the supply chain, amongst other things, have an affect on price, and were taken into account in the analysis.
The Department also took into account the claims that were made about the provision of ‘free’ testing meters in primary care when comparing pricing between the two sectors.
Overall, there is a difference of up to 35 per cent. between reimbursement prices in primary care and prices paid in secondary care. The size of difference cannot be reasonably explained by the factors outlined above.
The Department's diabetes policy team—which includes Dr Sue Roberts, national clinical director for diabetes—has been kept informed throughout the process.
Until such time as the review has been completed, the Department is not in a position to comment on plans to ensure the availability of blood glucose testing strips.
Regarding the publication of responses in full to the consultations on the “arrangements for the provision of chemical reagents, dressings, incontinence appliances and stoma appliances to primary and secondary care”, the Department considers that it is reasonable to withhold publication until a future date, pending the outcome of on-going discussions and further consultations on future arrangements.
Disclosure of the responses to the first consultation would be likely to influence or inhibit those responding to the further consultations and prevent the Department from obtaining fair and representative views from stakeholders.
The Department considers that the public interest in disclosing the responses is outweighed by the public interest in withholding them. This is because although there is an inherent public interest in openness and accountability in Government, there is a greater public interest in ensuring that the Department's consultation process is effective and that the Department negotiates new arrangements that deliver fair prices for the NHS and reasonable returns for suppliers.
Drug Costs
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on national health service drugs
in each of the last three years; what the percentage change was in each year; and by how much remuneration to prescribing pharmacists has changed in the last three years. [83431]
Andy Burnham: Expenditure on national health service drugs in each of the last three years, with percentage growth, is shown in table one.
| Net ingredient cost (£ million) | Percentage growth | |
These figures are from the prescription cost analysis (PCA) system, supplied by the prescription pricing division of the NHS Business Services Authority (formerly known as the Prescriptions Pricing Authority). Fees paid to pharmacists from central non-discretionary funds for the dispensing of prescriptions and provision of pharmaceutical services in each of the last three years, with percentage growth, are shown in table two.
| Fees paid (£ million) | Percentage growth | |
| Note: Figures are resource costs. 2005-06 figures are unaudited. | ||
Drug Misuse Strategies
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people, and at what grades, are employed in her Department to work on drug misuse strategies, in addition to those employed by the National Treatment Agency. [83925]
Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the table in whole time equivalents (WTE) for the senior civil service and the Department’s integrated pay scales. There are currently 2.9 WTE working on drug treatment, plus 1.6 working on prevention of drug and alcohol misuse by young people.
| Whole-time equivalents | |
| Note: IP—integrated payband where IP1 is the minimum pay range. | |
Drug-related Conditions
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many drug-related conditions were treated (a) in total and (b) in the accident and emergency department at (i) the Royal Sussex county hospital in Brighton and (ii) Worthing hospital in each of the last three years. [83415]
Andy Burnham [holding answer 10 July 2006]: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the saving from the Department's decision not to renew the bulk contract for the Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin. [82918]
Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 23 May 2006, Official Report, column 1743W.
EU Emissions Trading Scheme
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost of (a) administrating and (b) buying allocations for each NHS hospital included in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme was in its first year of operation. [82738]
Andy Burnham: Figures on the total cost of administrating and buying allocations for each national health service hospital included in the EU emission trading scheme in its first year of operation are not held centrally.
Fibromyalgia
Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information is (a) published by her Department and (b) available via NHS Direct on fibromyalgia; when the last update was made to the information available; and when the last update to such information was undertaken; [84494]
(2) whether she has discussed treatment and care for people with fibromyalgia with UK based fibromyalgia support charities. [84500]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Ministers have not held any recent discussions with fibromyalgia support charities on the treatment and care of people with this condition.
NHS Direct publishes health information in a variety of media, including the NHS Direct online website and the NHS Direct interactive digital television service (NHS Direct interactive). Through these services, people have access to information on a range of conditions and illnesses, including fibromyalgia. Information provided by NHS Direct is
reviewed and updated on a regular basis and individual web pages contain details of when the information was last updated.
Additionally, PRODIGY guidance, which is available on its website at www.prodigy.nhs.uk, offers advice on the management of a range of conditions and symptoms, including fibromyalgia, that are commonly seen in primary care. The guidance is advisory and has been developed to assist healthcare professionals, together with patients, in making decisions about the management of the patient’s health. Guidance contained on the website is reviewed on a regular basis.
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