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9 Oct 2006 : Column 635W—continued
Nurses
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the percentage of nurses who qualified in summer 2006 and have yet to find jobs. [89399]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
Organ Donation
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to improve public awareness about organ donation. [89395]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Currently, over 13 million people have registered on the organ donor register (ODR), 22 per cent. of the United Kingdom population. The Department gives around £1 million yearly to NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) to run the ODR and to promote transplantation. It also provides section 64 grants to a number of charities to promote organ donation in particular communities. Further funding through NHSBT supports hospital based initiatives to optimise organ donation and increase transplant rates.
In April 2006, NHSBT published the results of their potential donor audit. It suggested that there may be greater opportunities to identify potential donors in intensive care units; and highlighted the high number of relatives—some 40 per cent.—who refuse donation. We have asked officials to bring together a small group of key people to take stock of progress against “Saving Lives Valuing Donors: A Transplant Framework for England” published in 2003; to identify current barriers to organ donation; to look at national and international experience; and to identify opportunities to increase donation rates within the current legal and regulatory framework.
Osteoporosis
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she will take in response to Item 12 of the conclusions of the EU Council of Ministers on 1 to 2 June 2006 on women’s health, with particular reference to osteoporosis. [89398]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The conclusions of the European Union Council of Ministers recognise that diseases can affect men and women differently. The Department is currently taking forward a number of initiatives addressing particular aspects of women’s health, including gender specific screening programmes.
The Government are increasing capacity in osteoporosis services in dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning for bone density as a guide to treatment. In 2005-06, £3 million has been allocated
from a centrally held revenue budget for purchasing of additional scans. Capital provision of £17 million has been made in 2006-07 and 2007-08 to improve national health service capacity through investment in new DXA scanning equipment.
Oxygen Supply Service
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (1) assessment she has made of the oxygen supply service provided by (a) Air Products and (b) Chemicals Inc; [90231]
(2) what estimate she has made of the number of incomplete oxygen deliveries made since the change in the oxygen supply domiciliary contract; [90232]
(3) what back up supply mechanisms are in place for domiciliary oxygen delivery after 31 July 2006. [90233]
Andy Burnham: Air products has increased, significantly, the number of cylinders in its service regions to improve cylinder availability and service delivery to patients. In addition, there is agreement with Air Products and BOC to transfer supply of the home oxygen service in the south-west region to BOC from 1 October 2006 to allow Air Products to focus further resources on service delivery in its other regions. We support these arrangements, which are in the best interests of patients. We are continuing to work with Air Products to improve further the delivery of this service to the required standards set out in the contract and performance indicators for service performance, including numbers of complaints received, are much improved
Since introduction of the new service arrangement on 1 February 2006, we have monitored progress in reducing the number of incomplete oxygen deliveries. There are a number of different factors associated with failure to deliver within required delivery times. For example, these include the need to give priority to delivery of orders for urgent supply, errors or incomplete information relating to a patient's address, patients away from home and unable to take delivery of equipment and changes in arrangements supporting a patient's discharge from hospital. The interplay of these different factors results in wide variations in data relating to the number of incomplete oxygen deliveries across service regions. However, overall, the trend continues to be one of improvement. Action is continuing to address the issues influencing the number of failed deliveries, including improving effective communications between suppliers, patients and healthcare professionals.
The formal second stage transition period supporting changes to the new service ended on 31 July 2006. We have reminded all suppliers of their contractual responsibilities for the delivery of the home oxygen service from 1 August 2006. We have yet to achieve the transfer of all patients to new suppliers in all regions. There are now relatively few patients awaiting transfer to new suppliers and these include those who have yet to come forward to seek further oxygen supplies. The national health service is working with suppliers and community pharmacies, who are continuing to supply some patients as part of transitional arrangements, to achieve the safe transfer of all patients to the new suppliers as soon as possible.
Until patient transfer is complete, we will continue to keep open the route in which general practitioners may order oxygen supplies for a patient via a prescription dispensed by a community pharmacist providing a cylinder service.
PCT Resources
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 23 August 2006 to Question 13422, what the allocation of resources to each primary care trust is, based on present boundaries; what the target share of resources for each primary care trust is; what the per capita allocation is; and what the equivalent figures were in 2005-06. [91842]
Andy Burnham: Detailed information about primary care trust (PCT) allocations is provided in the PCT revenue resource limits exposition book, which is produced for each allocations round.
Allocations and weighted capitation targets for 2005-06 are in section 4, tables 4.1 and 4.2 respectively of the 2003-04 to 2005-06 exposition book. Allocations and weighted capitation targets for 2006-07 are in section 3, tables 3.1 and 3.2 respectively of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 exposition book.
Exposition books are available in the Library and at www.dh.gov.uk/allocations.
Allocations per head of population in 2005-06 and 2006-07 for PCTs prior to reconfiguration on 1 October 2006 are shown in the table.
Physiotherapists
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time paid posts were available for newly qualified physiotherapists in the NHS in each of the last five years. [90018]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many students graduated in physiotherapy in each of the last five years. [90019]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: This information is not collected centrally.
Prescription Charges
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of prescriptions in (a) accident and emergency wards and (b) day surgery were charged for by NHS trusts in 2005-06; whether ministerial guidance has been issued on the subject; and if she will make a statement. [90337]
Andy Burnham: This information is not held centrally. General guidance is included in leaflet HC11 “Help with Health Costs” which is available to patients and trusts.
Priory Clinics
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by the NHS referring patients to and paying for their treatment in the Priory group of clinics in each of the last five years. [89291]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The expenditure is not separately identified from the annual financial returns of national health service trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities.
Reproductive Health
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether from international sources available to her, she has any information about how the United States differs from the United Kingdom in the funding of (a) abortion, (b) family planning and (c) reproductive health-related issues; and if she will make a statement. [81175]
Mr. Thomas: I have been asked to reply.
We enjoy an ongoing and strong dialogue with the US administration at all levels on ensuring an effective response to sexual and reproductive health issues. We have different views on the best approach in certain key areas, but we also share a common perspective on priorities in other fundamental areas.
Our common ground includes the importance of providing adequate resources for an effective response, (the US is the largest bilateral donor on HIV and AIDS, the UK is the second largest) and on the importance of co-ordinated support to national strategies. The UK and the US both see condoms as a critical public health tool and are the two largest bilateral donors of condoms.
We differ on access to safe abortion services. The UK believes that access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information, services and supplies should be based on the principles of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). That is the principle of informed choice, voluntarism and consent, not coercion. The US did agree to ICPD in 1994 and continues to be one of the largest donors for sexual and reproductive health supplies and services. However the US does not fund organisations promoting or providing safe abortion services due to their Mexico City policy (the “global gag rule”).
We believe that the “global gag rule” is undermining efforts to stop unsafe abortion and is damaging reproductive health and family planning services. It effectively decreases women's and girls’ access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services—including HIV prevention services such as voluntary counselling and testing for HIV—in developing countries. We believe that this will lead to more women and girls resorting to unsafe abortion and risk death or injury as a result. Currently one in eight pregnancy-related deaths, an estimated 13 per cent., are due to an unsafe abortion. 80,000 women currently die of unsafe abortion. In Zambia, for example, the global
gag rule has caused the sole organisation providing family planning services in Zambia to cut its services by 40 per cent. This has left women unable to continue to have access to contraception causing unwanted pregnancies and more unsafe sex.
Our views also differ about the importance of a comprehensive approach to HIV prevention on sexual and reproductive health issues. We support the provision of evidence-based sexual and reproductive health information, services and supplies. This includes promoting condom use among the most vulnerable who are exposed to sexual health risks (this ranges from married women to commercial sex workers). This is not only to enable them to protect themselves and others from sexually transmitted infections, but ultimately to reduce unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion, promote behaviour change and improve overall reproductive health.
Where we do not share a common approach, we work with the US to openly discuss this and hope that their huge contribution is utilised for best ends alongside our own.
Sativex
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost to the NHS of buying the drug Sativex in 2005-06. [89953]
Andy Burnham: Adequate information is not held centrally to answer this question.
School Fruit and Vegetables
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the school fruit and vegetable scheme. [90291]
Caroline Flint: The national foundation for educational research, in partnership with Leeds university, was commissioned by the big lottery fund to carry out an evaluation of the school fruit and vegetable scheme. Results published in September 2005 demonstrated that children ate significantly more fruit while participating in the scheme. The results showed that increased consumption of fruit and vegetables was not sustained when children’s participation in the scheme came to an end. However, there was some evidence of increased knowledge of healthy eating, particularly in children from deprived areas.
A follow up to this evaluation is planned to commence later this year with results available in mid 2007. Work is also in hand to integrate the scheme more closely with other healthy eating initiatives in schools, to provide opportunities to maintain the behaviour change achieved by participation in the scheme.
Sexual Health
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on sexual health services by East Yorkshire primary care trust in each of the last two financial years; and what funding is available in 2006-07 for the provision of sexual health services by the trust. [91818]
Caroline Flint: It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
In February 2005, individual PCTs, including those covering the Yorkshire area were notified of their Choosing Health revenue allocation. In 2006-07, £91.5 million has been allocated to PCTs for sexual health modernisation which includes funding for Chlamydia screening, contraception and abortion services and a further £111.5 million will be allocated in 2007-08. In addition, a further £15 million genito-urinary medicine capital was allocated in 2005-06 and a further £25 million in 2006-07.
Data on spend on sexual health services in each PCT are not collected centrally.
Stammerers
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the (a) coverage and (b) training in the treatment of stammering of speech and language therapists; and if she will make a statement. [89225]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: No assessment has been carried out centrally. It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities, local authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services. This process provides the means for addressing local needs within the health community including the provision of speech and language therapy.
The training curricula for health professionals are the responsibility of the appropriate regulatory bodies. They set standards for the pre-registration training of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals, approve the education institutions that provide the training and determine the curricula.
Post-registration training needs for national health service staff, including speech and language therapists, are decided against local national health service priorities, through appraisal processes and training needs analyses informed by local delivery plans and the needs of the service.
Stem Cell Research
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisations have received grants from the Department relating to stem cell research since May 2005. [92257]
Andy Burnham: The Department has not directly funded any stem cell research through grants since May 2005. The Government are investing £100 million in stem cell research, funded through research councils and the Office of Science Innovation at the Department for Trade and Industry.
Sudden Death Syndrome
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what screening programme is in place to identify those who might be at risk from sudden death syndrome. [89649]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The UK national screening committee, which advises the Government on all aspects of screening, does not recommend population screening for abnormal heart conditions as current evidence does not support this.
The Government also have concerns about the possible negative aspects of screening and its potential consequences for young people. Testing for certain heart problems is offered, where appropriate, to close relatives of those who have died suddenly and unexpectedly of a suspected genetic cardiac condition. This is supported by the national service framework chapter for arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death, published on 4 March 2005.
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