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19 Feb 2007 : Column 34W—continued
Randomised controlled trial to determine the cost-effectiveness of fluoxetine for mild to moderate depression with somatic symptoms in primary care—threshold for antidepressant treatment.
Folate augmentation of treatment—valuation for depression: randomised controlled trial.
Effectiveness of counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy and general practitioner care for depression in general practice.
A randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of counselling with patients with chronic depression and anxiety.
The clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of computerised cognitive behaviour therapy for depression and anxiety.
Computerised cognitive behaviour therapy for depression and anxiety update: a systematic review and economic evaluation.
Clinical and cost-effectiveness of electro-convulsive therapy for depressive illness, schizophrenia, catatonia and mania; systematic reviews and economic modelling studies.
A rapid and systematic review and economic evaluation of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of newer drugs for treatment of mania associated with bipolar affective disorder.
A randomised controlled trial to compare the cost-effectiveness of tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors and lofepramine.
Diabetic Foot Care
Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of (a) provision, (b) quality and (c) accessibility of diabetic foot care facilities in (i) Hartlepool Primary Care Trust and (ii) the area covered by the North East Strategic Health Authority. [118844]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The provision of diabetic services is determined locally where responsibility for local health services lies. It is now for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to plan, develop and improve health services for local people.
Digital Hearing Aids
Dr. Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting period is for digital hearing aids in each primary care trust area. [117792]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department does not collect data on waiting times for fitting of digital hearing aids. Since January 2006, we have been collecting waiting time data for diagnostic tests/procedures, including audiology. The monthly diagnostic data for audiology consisted of waits for pure tone audiometry until October 2006 (published in December) when this was extended to cover all audiometry assessments. This information is published monthly on the Department of Health website at:
www.performance.doh.gov.uk/diagnostics/downloads/monthly/Excel_Download-WEB-Diagnostics_November_Provider.xls
In order to improve access and reduce waiting times for audiology services, a national action plan is being developed for publication soon.
In addition to the development of the action plan, the Department has also announced the procurement of up to 300,000 audiology pathways to provide assessment, fitting and follow up.
Both of these measures will assist in significantly reducing waiting times and will greatly benefit those who receive hearing aids.
Drug Rehabilitation Beds
Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residential drug rehabilitation beds there are; how many are occupied by defendants from the Criminal Justice System in England and Wales; and if she will make a statement. [116580]
Caroline Flint: There are 115 residential drug rehabilitation services in England with a total of 2,441 beds for drug and/or alcohol treatment. We do not have a record centrally of how many of these beds are occupied by defendants of the criminal justice system.
East Lancashire Hospitals Trust
Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the proceeds of the sale of (a) Rossendale General Hospital and (b) the hospital site would be (i) additional to the operating budget of the East Lancashire Hospitals Trust and available to the trust to spend on health provision in Rossendale at their own discretion and (ii) netted off against current or future capital allocation. [111407]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Under the current national health service capital regime, if a trust sells a fixed asset, then the value of the asset held in the books must be reinvested in fixed assets such as buildings and clinical equipment. It may not be used to fund the day to day operating costs of services.
Asset sale proceeds enhance a trust's capital spending power and there is no netting off against future capital allocations. If the trust makes a profit on disposal, in cases where the sale proceeds exceed the value of the asset held in the trust’s books, then the profit is available to be reinvested into health provision. Conversely if the trust makes a loss on disposal, the trust must make the necessary decisions to absorb the impact on the overall financial position.
There are plans at the trust to reinvest part of the land sale receipt into supporting the development of the new health care campus.
Elderly
Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on the Government’s Dignity for Older People campaign; and if she will make a statement. [118257]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: To date, the costs associated with the Dignity in Care Campaign have been some £118,000. This has funded a nurse summit, two dignity champions events, the development and production of the Dignity Challenge and Dignity Cards, and the development and management of the online Dignity Champions network.
Elderly: Nutrition
Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government is taking to ensure that residential care and nursing homes for the elderly meet nutritional requirements; and if she will make a statement. [118256]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Care Homes Regulations state that homes must provide, in adequate quantities, suitable, wholesome and nutritious food which is varied and properly prepared and available at such time as may reasonably be required by service users. Food in the Regulations includes drinks/fluids.
The National Minimum Standards (NMS) for care homes for older people require that service users receive a wholesome appealing balanced diet in pleasing surroundings at times convenient to them and that hot and cold drinks and snacks are available at all times and offered regularly. The NMS are under review at present; the intention is to implement any revised standards in late 2007.
In 2006, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) published nutrient and food based advice for those providing food in care homes. These are “Nutrient and Food Based Guidelines for UK Institutions (October 2006), Food served to Older People in Residential Care” (October 2006) and “Example Menus for Care Homes” (August 2006). They are available on the FSA website at:
www.food.gov.uk/healthiereating/nutritioncommunity/care.
Copies have been placed in the Library. The nutrient and food-based guidance for those providing residential care for older people is the first part in a series of guidance documents for United Kingdom institutions. The FSA expects to produce guidance for other institutions, including the national health service and prisons, in early 2007.
On 23 January, I announced that I intend to convene a summit involving organisations who have experience and are knowledgeable about the challenges of providing good nutrition in care to discuss this issue.
Emergency Bed Days
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total number of emergency bed days has been in the NHS in England in each financial year since 1997-98 (a) in total and (b) expressed as a percentage of the total number of bed days. [101934]
Andy Burnham: The information requested is in the following table:
EU Smoking Ban
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the treaty base is of EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou’s proposal for an EU-wide ban on smoking in public places. [118614]
Caroline Flint: The European Commission published a Green Paper entitled “Towards a Europe free from tobacco smoke: policy options at EU level” on 30 January 2007. Among other issues, the Green Paper discusses the actions that could be taken at a European-level to tackle the issue of second-hand smoke in Europe. Five different policy options are identified, one of which is binding European legislation. The document explains on page 19:
“The exact legal basis of the legislation could only be determined once the exact nature and scope of the instrument will be defined and this choice will have to take into account the results of this public consultation”
The Green Paper is available on the European Commission’s website at:
ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/life_style/Tobacco/Documents/gp_smoke_en.pdf
England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be introducing comprehensive smokefree legislation in 2007—this will mean the United Kingdom population will be protected by smokefree legislation from this summer. The Government welcome the publication of the Green Paper as an opportunity for all interested groups to contribute to thinking at a European-level on smokefree public places and workplaces.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions her Department has had with the European Commission on legislation to ban smoking in public places across the European Union. [118169]
Caroline Flint:
No specific discussions have been held with the European Commission on European Union-wide legislation on secondhand smoke. On 30
January 2007, the European Commission published a Green Paper entitled “Towards a Europe free from tobacco smoke: policy options at EU level”.
England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be following the lead of Scotland in introducing comprehensive smokefree legislation in 2007. The Government welcome the publication of the Green Paper as an opportunity for all interested groups to contribute to thinking at a European level on smokefree public places and workplaces.
Foetal Tissue
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons she refused the offer of funds from Virgin Group Ltd. to support an NHS cord blood bank. [119693]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 8 February 2007]: I understand that over 10 years ago, Sir Richard Branson offered to donate £1.5 million to support an NHS cord blood bank, on condition that the Department matched that sum. At the time the Department had already allocated considerably more than £1.5 million to establishing the NHS cord blood bank, therefore Sir Richard’s offer did not materialise. We are not aware of any more recent offer.
Since 2003-04 the NHS cord blood bank, one of the few internationally accredited cord blood banks in the world, has received nearly £4.5 million from the Department to support the work of the cord blood bank.
Food Labelling
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to improve (a) country of origin and (b) country of packaging labelling on food products. [111950]
Caroline Flint: Country of origin labelling is mandatory for beef, veal, fish and shellfish (whether pre-packed or loose), wine, certain fresh fruit and vegetables, olive oil, honey, and poultry meat from outside the European Union. It is also required on other foods if purchasers might otherwise be misled.
The European Commission is currently reviewing all labelling legislation, including country of origin. The Government are, in principle, in favour of extending country of origin labelling to a wider range of foods, subject to satisfactory cost benefit analysis.
In addition to legislative requirements, the Food Standards Agency has produced country of origin best practice guidance to help industry, retailers and caterers to provide additional voluntary information to better inform consumers. The guidance is currently being revised with a view to publication in early 2007.
The draft revised guidance recommends that if a product carries a packed-in statement that refers to one country, but it is produced in another, the label should make this clear.
Anne Milton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which companies are participating in the Food Standards Agency traffic light labelling scheme; and
how the Food Standards Agency television awareness campaign is being funded. [111969]
Caroline Flint: Sainsbury's, Waitrose, the Co-op, McCains, Marks and Spencer and New Covent Garden Food Company are currently using the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) traffic light colour-coded labelling approach. Asda, Budgens/Londis, Avondale Foods, Moy Park, Bombay Halwa, Britannia and S and B Herba have announced their intention to introduce colour-coded front of pack nutrition labelling schemes shortly. A number of other retailers and manufacturers have also expressed an interest in adopting the approach.
The FSA television advertising campaign is funded by the agency.
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget is for the Food Standards Agency traffic light labelling television advertising campaign. [111083]
Caroline Flint: The agency budget for front of pack nutrition signpost labelling advertising activity is £1.9 million.
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