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7 Nov 2006 : Column 1300W—continued
NHS Business Service Authority
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contingencies there are for national emergencies within the contract for supply chain logistics due to be managed by the Supply Chain Management Division within the NHS Business Services Authority. [98785]
Andy Burnham: In the event of an incident, such as a national emergency, the contract or master services agreement (MSA) allows the retained organisation (the supply chain management division of the NHS Business Services Authority) to direct the resources of Exel Europe (DHL) that are used to provide the contracted services to respond to the incident.
Further information is available in the MSA, Clause 28 and the definition of an ‘Incident’ on page 149. The MSA is available on the Department’s website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/FreedomOfInformation/EreadingRoom/EreadingRoomArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4140043&chk=/U%2B/%2BC
Exel Europe (DHL) will work closely with the NHS Business Services Authority emergency planning team to ensure that contingency plans are kept up to date.
NHS Clinical Services
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of NHS clinical services was in (a) 1995 and (b) 2005. [93684]
Andy Burnham: Information on costs of clinical services in the national health service is not separately identified as part of the annual reference costs collection.
NHS Employment
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many jobs there are in the NHS in (a) Redbridge and (b) Waltham Forest; and how many there were in October 1997. [94977]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not available in the format requested.
NHS Finance
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the potential effect on local authorities’ social services departments of the financial deficits of NHS trusts. [99687]
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effect on local authorities’ social services department of the financial deficits of NHS trusts. [99695]
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the likely effect on local authorities’ social services departments of the financial deficits of NHS trusts. [99699]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department allocates funding to local authorities for adult social care without reference to the financial position of the national health service.
NHS and local authority social services have a duty to work in partnership to provide services which meet the health and social care needs of their local population. The NHS has a legal responsibility to provide healthcare and nursing care.
It is essential that the NHS and social services work together locally, in collaboration with other partners, and with individuals and their representatives, to deliver services in a joined-up way, tailored (wherever possible) to the needs of the individual. For example, local area agreements have proved valuable in improving the efficiency and targeting of resources, developing new ways of working and agreeing a joint approach with a range of local partners to address local issues.
NHS Foundation Trusts
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of governors’ positions are vacant on each foundation NHS trust. [96265]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Information relating to the governing bodies of individual national health service foundation trusts can be obtained by contacting the chairmen of the respective trusts. This information is not held by the Department or Monitor (the statutory name for which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts).
NHS Injury Benefit Scheme
Sir Malcolm Rifkind: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether an allowance payable under the terms of the NHS Injury Benefit Scheme to a general practitioner whose sole emoluments are in the form of fees should be calculated in accordance with regulation 2(1) of the NHS Injury Benefit Regulations. [98206]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Yes. Regulation 2 (1) of the NHS Injury Benefits Regulations 1995 (amended) deals with interpretation and explains for the purpose of the regulations what “emoluments” means.
NHS Logistics Authority
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2006, Official Report, column 2145W, on the NHS Logistics Authority, if she will publish the findings of the 2003 procurement and supply chain review undertaken by her Commercial Directorate. [99915]
Andy Burnham: The findings of the review were that:
outsourcing NHS Logistics Authority (NHSLA) and consumables procurement is the course of action most likely to satisfy the requirements of the national health service and of the Department;
partnering with the private sector, by outsourcing, is not expected to compromise broader supply chain initiatives which are being considered, such as collaborative buying;
the outsourcing and development of information technology, as part of the model, can be considered to be part of the outsourcing solutions;
further validation will be required, in the form of market testing to confirm that this is the most appropriate course of action; and
market testing should confirm market appetite for a transaction involving the outsourcing of NHSLA and consumables procurement as a single entity or as separate entities.
NHS Salaries
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the NHS spent on the salaries of administrative staff in (a) 1995 and (b) 2005. [93691]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The table shows the total expenditure on administrative staff by national health service bodies in England in 1994-95 and 2004-05 in cash and real terms and the figures as a percentage of total NHS expenditure:
NHS Services
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the names and periods of office of those responsible as chairmen and chief executives for the regional and strategic administration of the NHS in Hertfordshire over the last 10 years. [96455]
Andy Burnham: The appointment of nationalhealth service trusts chairs has been delegated to the Appointments Commission. I have asked the Appointment Commission’s chair, Sir William Wells, to respond to the hon. Member’s specific questions.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent assessment she has made of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire NHS “Investing in Your Health” programme; and if she will make a statement; [96457]
(2) what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials have had in 2006 with (i) Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust and (ii) East and North Herts NHS Trust on the review of “Investing in Your Health”. [96459]
Andy Burnham:
I have not met with Hertfordshire primary care trust (PCT) or North Hertfordshire national health service trust on the review of “Investing
in Your Health” and I am not aware of any meetings that have taken place involving Departmental officials.
The East of England Strategic Health Authority is beginning a review of acute services across its area including “Investing In Your Health”.
The objective of the review will be to agree a new pattern of hospital services for the region that will meet the demands of 21st century healthcare and be financially sustainable. The initial phase of the review is a technical analysis of how these issues are affecting hospitals in the region.
Hertfordshire PCT is leading the review of the strategy for “Investing In Your Health” for Hertfordshire looking at operational and affordability assumptions to ensure these are clinically and financially sustainable. This will be completed over the next month and once this is done a structured process will be established, including discussion with our many stakeholders, to prepare detailed service proposals for consultation. This next phase should be completed early in 2007.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials have had in 2006 with (i) East of England strategic health authority, (ii) Hertfordshire primary care trust and (iii) East and North Herts NHS trust on the future of Royston hospital. [96460]
Andy Burnham: I am not aware of any meetings having taken place with Ministers or departmental officials as to the future of Royston and district hospital during 2006.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the sterile supplies service to hospitals and general practitioners in North East Hertfordshire; and if she will make a statement. [96462]
Andy Burnham: There is currently a collaboration established in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire to outsource the sterilisation of their surgical instruments, as part of the national decontamination joint venture programme established by the Department.
This contract is currently in the early stages of the tendering process and will deliver an off site super-centre within the geographical location to service a number of trusts.
The trust currently operates a sterilisation department in-house.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the transfer of (a) departmental and (b) NHS staff to the private or independent sectors counts towards the Department's Gershon review targets; and how many such transfers have been made. [96103]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The transfer of departmental and national health service staff to the private or independent sectors does not count towards the Department's Gershon review targets.
As of the end of June 2006, 50 such transfers had been made—seven to the private sector, one to a university and 42 to a charitable organisation.
NHS Staff
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her policy is on the use of (a) the niqab, (b) the chador and (c) the burka by NHS staff; and if she will make a statement. [94327]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department does not have a policy on the use of the niqab, the chador and the burka by national health service staff. NHS Employers is currently developing guidance for the NHS on dress codes and religion or belief. This guidance will provide those who have to make the necessary decision, along with those affected, with information and direction to deal with situations where dress codes, uniforms, religious considerations together with health and safety come together. This will be launched in early 2007. The guide will build on the guidance on this issue included in the Commission for Racial Equality’s employment code of practice and Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service’s “Guide for Employers and Employees on Religion or Belief and the Workplace”.
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by Suffolk West primary care trust on salaries and wages for (a) general and senior managers, (b) nurses and midwives and (c) administrative and clerical staff in each of the last five financial years. [95468]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Information is not available in the format requested. However, the table shows staff cost expenditure which includes employers’ national insurance contributions, employers’ pension contributions and other pension costs. This has been supplied because the Department does not hold data just on salaries and wages centrally, for the period 2002-03 and 2004-05, as Suffolk West primary care trust (PCT) was not established before then.
| Suffolk West PCT | |||
| 2004-05 | 2003-04 | 2002-03 | |
| Source: Annual financial returns for PCTs | |||
NHS Trust Property Sales
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued on the sale of property by NHS trusts. [99638]
Andy Burnham: Guidance on the disposal of surplus national health service land and buildings is provided in the Department's publication, “Estatecode—essential guidance on estates and facilities management”.
When the selling organisation is an NHS foundation trust, the ability to dispose of assets is covered bythe “Protection of Assets—Guidance for NHSFTs” published by the independent regulator of NHS foundation trusts.
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