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21 Feb 2007 : Column 815W—continued
Sunbeds
Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will assess the merits of publishing advertisements promoting awareness of the health implications of excessive and inappropriate sun bed use; [118384]
(2) if she will commission a study to ascertain the number of unstaffed coin-operated tanning salons and their locations; [118385]
(3) if she will commission a public health study into sun bed use by people under 16. [118386]
Caroline Flint: SunSmart, the national skin cancer prevention and sun protection campaign, run by Cancer Research UK on behalf of the United Kingdom Health Departments, supports health promotion events. It includes as part of its printed resources, and on the SunSmart website, information to promote awareness of the risks to health associated with the use of sun beds. It emphasises the risks for minors, and others who are particularly vulnerable to ultra-violet rays, for example due to skin type or family history. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)guideline for customers and operators of sun beds also recommends that sun beds should not be used by young people under 16 years, and the Department and the HSE are in discussion about whether this guidance needs to be strengthened.
The possible need for information about the number and distribution of coin-operated sun beds, and the scale of any sun bed use by minors, is one factor that the Department has considered as part of its review of options for the regulation of such sun beds.
Turnaround Teams
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which companies have been contracted to assist with turnaround teams with the NHS; and what the value of these contracts is. [115824]
Andy Burnham:
A number of national health service organisations have in place or have already received turnaround support from a combination of professional turnaround advisors, predominantly from PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, Deloittes, Ernst and Young, and/or independent turnaround directors.
Contracts are determined at a local level and hence the Department does not routinely hold information on the value of contracts.
Uniforms
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she established her Department’s expert working group on uniform policy in the NHS; what work it has undertaken so far; and if she will make a statement; [112414]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The uniform and laundry review working group was established on the 25 July 2005, with its first meeting held on that day.
The work carried out so far includes:
a commissioned literature review on the microbiological and social importance of uniforms in relation to hospital acquired infections, carried out by Thames Valley University;
a commissioned scientific study of the effect of water temperature on the removal of micro-organisms during laundering, carried out by University College London Hospitals. This work has recently been completed and the final report is awaited;
the development of draft information which takes into account professional appearance, patient confidence and healthcare associated infections. This will be finalised once the final report on laundry temperatures is available; and
a sub-group has been formed and has commenced work to refresh HSG 95(18) ‘Hospital laundry arrangements for used and infected linen’.
Mrs. Dorries: What progress has been made in the review of policy on the uniforms of medical staff in NHS hospitals to prevent healthcare-associated infections; and if she will make a statement. [118352]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The uniform and laundry review working group was established on the 25 July 2005, with its first meeting held on that day.
The work carried out so far includes:
a commissioned literature review on the microbiological and social importance of uniforms in relation to hospital-acquired infections, carried out by Thames Valley University;
a commissioned scientific study of the effect of water temperature on the removal of micro-organisms during laundering, carried out by University College London Hospitals. This work has recently been completed and the final report is awaited;
the development of draft information which takes into account professional appearance, patient confidence and healthcare-associated infections. This will be finalised once the final report on laundry temperatures is available; and
a sub-group has been formed and has commenced work to refresh HSG 95(18) ‘Hospital laundry arrangements for used and infected linen’.
Waiting Times
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what average waiting times are in Blackpool South for treatment in (a) ear, nose and throat, (b) general surgery, (c) gynaecology, (d) orthopaedics, (e) rheumatology, (f) urology and (g) pain relief specialities. [117599]
Andy Burnham: The information requested is shown in the tables.
| Provider-based in-patient waiting times for Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre NHS Trust, September 2006 | |||||||||||||||
| Number waiting, individual timebands (weeks) | |||||||||||||||
| Specialty | Total waiting list | Median wait (weeks) | Less than 1 | 1 to <2 | 2 to <3 | 3 to <4 | 4 to <5 | 5 to <6 | 6 to <7 | 7 to <8 | 8 to <9 | 9 to <10 | 10 to <11 | 11 to <12 | 12 to <13 |
| Number waiting, individual timebands (weeks) | ||||||||||||||||
| Specialty | Total waiting list | Median wait (weeks) | 13 to <14 | 14 to <15 | 15 to <16 | 16 to <17 | 17 to <18 | 18 to <19 | 19 to <20 | 20 to <21 | 21 to <22 | 22 to <23 | 23 to <24 | 24 to <25 | 25 to <26 | 26 + |
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