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17 July 2006 : Column 245W—continued
Crystal Blue Consulting
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the terms are of the contract her Department has with Crystal Blue Consulting in respect of a review of the impact of the market forces factor in the funding and operation of local health trusts; and what timetable has been set for (a) completion of the work and (b) publishing its findings. [81957]
Andy Burnham:
The advisory committee on resource allocation (ACRA) is carrying out a review of the approach to calculating the staff market forces factor (MFF). To inform the review and following a competitive tendering exercise, the Department has let
a contract with Crystal Blue Consulting to examine the feasibility of using national health service costs in calculating the staff MFF. It is expected that the work will be completed by autumn this year. The publication of the findings will be considered later.
Dentistry
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the outcome was of discussions between her Department, the North West London Strategic Health Authority and Hillingdon Primary Care Trust on the estimated £200,000 shortfall in the devolved dentistry budget for Hillingdon. [84372]
Ms Rosie Winterton: No formal discussions have been held between the Department, the then North West London strategic health authority and Hillingdon primary care trust (PCT) about the devolved dentistry budget for Hillingdon. However, I have been informed that Hillingdon PCT has now resolved this matter to its satisfaction.
Electrical Fields
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been conducted (a) by and (b) for her Department into the health impacts from electrical fields from (i) mobile phones, (ii) other electronic equipment in the home or workplace and (iii) major external sources, including power cables, mobile phone masts and other transmitters; and what steps she (A) has taken and (B) plans to take to tackle the potential effects on health of electrical fields. [84059]
Caroline Flint: The Health Protection Agency’s radiation protection division (HPA-RPD) keeps the worldwide research findings on electric and magnetic fields (EMF) and health under review. In 2004 the HPA-RPD, previously the National Radiological Protection Board, undertook a comprehensive review of the existing body of research to date and formally recommended the adoption of EMF exposure guidelines published in 1998 by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). The HPA advice is available on its website at www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/documents_of_nrpb/pdfs/doc_15_2.pdf. The ICNIRP guidelines also form the basis of the 1999 European Recommendation (EC/519/1999) on limiting EMF public exposure.
English Partnerships
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006 to question 77864, Official Report, column 817W, how many of the 96 national health service sites acquired by English Partnerships on 6 April 2005 have been sold. [83220]
Yvette Cooper: Of the 96 former hospital sites acquired by English Partnerships in April 2005, the following four sites have been sold so far:
Park Prewett, Basingstoke (part)
Linton Hospital, Maidstone
Renny Lodge, Newport Pagnell
Sheppey Hospital, Isle of Sheppey
Three of these sites—Renny Lodge, Linton Hospital and part of Park Prewett— will provide over 300 homes as part of the Design for Manufacture competition.
English Partnerships is working with partners to bring forward sites as quickly as possible and hopes to be able to announce preferred developers for a further four sites later this year.
Environmental Management
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department (a) is committed to the achievement of environmental management to ISO14001 standard and (b) has been externally certified as in compliance with that standard; and if she will make a statement. [81185]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: This Department is committed to maintaining the best possible standards of environmental management. We are working towards certification under IS014001. We have not been externally certified but are working towards certification.
FIFA World Cup
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which matches (a) she and (b) other Ministers in her Department attended at the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany in their ministerial capacity; at what cost to public funds; and with what contributions from third party organisations. [83620]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Secretary of State for Health and Ministers in her Department attended none of the FIFA World Cup matches in their ministerial capacity, so there was no cost to public funds.
Fraser Day Hospital
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate has been made by Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust of the value of the Fraser Day Hospital site in Newport Pagnell; [84915]
(2) what estimate she has made of the annual saving to Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust (PCT) of the proposed closure of the Fraser Day Hospital in Newport Pagnell, expressed in (a) real terms and (b) as a percentage of the PCT’s annual budget. [84916]
Andy Burnham [holding answer 13 July 2006]: The continued use of the suite of rooms forming the Fraser Day Hospital for health-related services is being investigated and, as such, the value of the primary care trust’s legal interest in this accommodation is not required at the present time. The provision of local health care facilities is the responsibility of the Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust (PCT), with the support of their strategic health authority. It is for the PCT to estimate any costs of changes in service arrangements.
Healthcare Commission
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Healthcare Commission will begin consideration of the case of Alan Jones (Case No. C200506_0165). [84665]
Andy Burnham: The Chairman of the Healthcare Commission has confirmed that the Commission has now started to review this case. The Chairman has added that a member of the Commission’s complaints staff has contacted the complainant.
In-patient Operations
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) patients resident in Wales and (b) other patients had been waiting more than six months for an NHS in-patient operation at an English hospital at the end of June 2006. [85012]
Andy Burnham: The information requested is not currently available. Waiting times data relating to the end of June will be published on Friday 28 July.
Maternity Services
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence report on maternity services was altered after completion and before publication; and if she will make a statement. [84152]
Andy Burnham: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is developing a guideline on care during labour. During the preparation of the draft guideline, the Department, as one of the instituted stakeholders, asked whether or not the available evidence precisely supported one of the recommendations made in the guideline. This related to advice on the risks and benefits of the different places of birth. NICE reflected on this, took further advice, and made a minor change to the relevant recommendation.
Multiple Sclerosis
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations she has received on the availability of disease-modifying therapies for people with multiple sclerosis in Staffordshire; and if she will make a statement; [84176]
(2) if she will meet the MS Society to discuss the terms of reference of the North Staffordshire Review Panel assessing the cost-effectiveness of disease- modifying therapies for people with multiple sclerosis. [84178]
Mr. Ivan Lewis:
The Secretary of State has received no recent representations on the availability of disease modifying therapies for people with multiple sclerosis in Staffordshire. The local health community is responsible for decisions around the provision of national health service treatment. The Multiple Sclerosis Society may
wish to discuss its concerns about the terms of reference of the North Staffordshire review panel with NHS West Midlands.
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has considered amending its assessment of cost effectiveness to include a factor of care time in the outcome. [84002]
Andy Burnham: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’s (NICE) “Guide to the Methods of Technology Appraisal” is published on NICE’s website at www.nice.org.uk, and gives details of the methodology NICE uses in carrying out its appraisals. NICE reviews its methods guide approximately every three years following consultation with stakeholder organisations, including those representing patients, carers, health care professions and manufacturers. The guide was last updated in 2004.
Newham PCT
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of Newham Primary Care Trust's financial position; and if she will make a statement. [82064]
Andy Burnham: The 2005-06 provisional unaudited financial position of all national health service organisations was announced on 7 June. A full report on the 2005-06 NHS financial performance and a series of tables showing the financial position of all NHS organisations is available in the Library.
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards the six national NHS priorities in Newham Primary Care Trust area; and if she will make a statement. [82073]
Andy Burnham: It is for the local national health service to assess the primary care trust’s progress in meeting the six national NHS priorities.
NHS Complaints
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of complaints against the NHS brought to the attention of the Healthcare Commission have been referred back to the trust of origin for resolution without further investigation. [82587]
Andy Burnham [holding answer 4 July 2006]: The chairman of the Healthcare Commission has confirmed that in 2005-06 31 per cent. of cases were referred back for further work by the health care provider concerned following a review of the local complaint handling by the Healthcare Commission.
Mr. Baron:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints against the NHS brought to the attention of the Healthcare Commission and not referred back to the trust of origin without further investigation are waiting to be investigated by a case manager of the Healthcare Commission; how long on
average these cases have been waiting; and how many of these cases have been waiting more than (a) eight weeks, (b) six months and (c) one year from receipt of the complaint. [82588]
Andy Burnham [holding answer 4 July 2006]: The chairman of the Healthcare Commission has confirmed that the Commission which faces a higher than expected numbers of referred cases, has introduced an eight week target to cases received since 1 April 2006. There are currently 2,261 cases awaiting further investigation, of which 1,136 are over six months old with none over 12 months old.
NHS Finance
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the financial position of primary care trusts that are significantly under their weighted capitation target; and if she will make a statement. [82063]
Andy Burnham: Our analysis of the 2005-06 financial positions of national health service organisations has shown that there is no strong relationship between financial performance and any single factor, including distance from capitation target. A full report on 2005-06 financial performance is available in the Library.
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much notice was given to primary care trusts of their financial obligation to the London risk pool; [82065]
(2) what assessment she has made of the likelihood of there being a need for additional contributions by London primary care trusts to the London strategic health authority risk pool in 2007-08; [82069]
(3) when London primary care trusts are expected to be informed of any need to contribute funds to a London strategic health authority risk pool for 2007-08; [82070]
(4) when Newham Primary Care Trust is expected to receive a refund of its contribution to the risk pool for the London strategic health authority. [82072]
Andy Burnham: The new strategic health authorities (SHAs) will take the lead locally in developing and implementing a service and financial strategy for managing the financial position within their locality. This will include creating local reserves to deal with local problems.
It is for SHAs locally to determine the level of contribution to reserves and the application of those reserves. The level determined will reflect local financial circumstances.
London primary care trusts (PCTs) were advised of their financial obligation to the London risk pool formally at the beginning of March 2006. London PCTs were made aware of this matter some weeks prior to that date via briefing from their previous local SHAs. PCT contributions will be repayable within three years with 2006-07 contributions expected to be repaid over the period 2007 to 2010. Repayment schedules are currently being agreed with deficit organisations.
The London SHA is still working on its plans for this year and is closely engaged with the Department on this issue. There is no timetable yet for the 2007-08 national operating framework and any contributions for 2007-08 will be subject to review.
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will assess the effectiveness of the weighted capitation targets in addressing health inequalities in the NHS. [82068]
Andy Burnham: Tackling health inequalities is within the remit of all primary care trusts (PCTs). Those PCTs with the worst health and deprivation indicators work to support public service agreement targets to narrow the health inequalities gaps in life expectancy, cardiovascular disease and cancer between their areas and the England average. To support this work, the weighted capitation formula takes account of deprivation.
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether spearhead primary care trusts will be given priority when primary care trust contributions to strategic health authority risk pools are repaid. [82074]
Andy Burnham: Strategic health authorities (SHAs) are responsible for the performance management of their national health service organisations and ensuring they achieve financial balance. SHAs should take the lead locally in developing and implementing a service and financial strategy for managing the financial position within their locality. For 2006-07, this will include creating local reserves to deal with local problems.
The reserves will have to be paid back to organisations in future years when the organisations currently in deficit start producing surpluses. It will be repaid, normally in the three-year allocation period. SHAs have been asked to ensure that primary care trusts with the greatest health need are the first to be repaid.
NHS IT Support
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made against each target on pages five and six of her Department’s publication “Delivering 21st century IT support for the NHS”; what the completion date was for each target that has been met; and what the (a) timetable and (b) targets are for phases 1, 2 and 3 set out in paragraph 3.3.1. [75123]
Caroline Flint: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
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