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6 Mar 2007 : Column 1940W—continued
Departmental Leaflets
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many information leaflets were produced by her Department in each of the last 10 years. [111006]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Between 1 October 2004 and 31 December 2006, the Department published 1,529 documents including information leaflets, command papers, guidance documentation and national health service staff bulletins.
There is currently no mechanism for identifying which of these are specifically information leaflets and the Department has no central record for printed publications produced prior to 1 October 2004. To attempt to gather this information would incur disproportionate cost.
Departments: Equal Opportunities
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to implement the gender equality duty due to come into force on 6 April. [120623]
Ms Rosie Winterton:
The Department published a single equality scheme in December 2006 incorporating specific gender actions and has established a gender
advisory group to advise the Department and act as a stakeholder forum when developing policy. The scheme will be further developed and refined in the light of comments received with a view to publishing an updated version in spring 2007.
In addition, the Department is producing “Creating a Gender Equality Scheme: A practical guide for the NHS” which will be published in the next few weeks. The Department is also supporting the national health service to implement current and emerging public sector equality duties by working with 18 different NHS organisations to develop their own single equality schemes. The learning and development of good practice from this project will be disseminated throughout the NHS.
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to implement the Race Equality Duty since 2000. [120671]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Departments Single Equality Scheme, published in December 2006 sets out the way in which the Department intends to meet its duties under the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000, the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and the Sex Discrimination Act as amended by the Equality Act 2006. The Department will also progress action on Religion or Belief, Sexual Orientation and Age. This Scheme updates and replaces the Department’s Race Equality Scheme.
In addition, the Department has undertaken a number of activities to promote equality and diversity in the national health service and particularly to support the NHS to meet its responsibilities under the various equalities legislation on race, disability and gender as well as regulations on age, religion and belief and sexual orientation. These include:
delivering Race Equality in mental health care—an action plan for reform of NHS mental health services, working towards equality of access, equality of experience and equality of outcome for all mental health service users.
the race for health programme—primary care trust (PCT)-led with support from the Department. It convenes a network of 13 PCTs around the country, working in partnership with local black and minority ethnic communities to improve health, modernise services, increase choice and create greater diversity within the NHS workforce.
developing and publishing ‘Promoting Equality and Human Rights in the NHS—a Guide for Board Members’ aimed at helping non-executive board members take forward the issues of equality and human rights with regard to patients and the workforce.
the Leadership and race equality action plan was launched in 2004 to give greater prominence to race equality in the NHS as part of the drive to improve health.
Diabetes
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what total expenditure by the NHS on diabetes was in each year since 2000-01. [118132]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The figures are not available in the format requested. The report by Derek Wanless, “Securing good health for the whole population: Final report—February 2004”, states that the total cost to the national health service of treating diabetes is £1.3 billion per year.
Mr. Lansley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of people
with (a) type 1 and (b) type 2 diabetes in each year since 1997; how many finished episodes of care relating to the treatment of diabetes there have been in each year since 1997; what estimate she has made of the number of patients who will have each type of diabetes in 2010; and if she will make a statement. [118136]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Data on the number of people with diabetes are not collected centrally in the form requested.
The number of patients diagnosed with diabetes identified by general practitioner (GP) practices in England in 2004-05 was 1.76 million people(1). Figures are not available for type 1 and type 2 diabetes separately.
The number of patients diagnosed with diabetes identified by GP practices in England in 2005-06 was 1.89 million people(2). It is estimated that approximately 25 per cent. of people who have diabetes are currently undiagnosed, and so the actual number of people with the condition is likely to be significantly higher, perhaps over 2.3 million. Figures are not available for type one and type 2 diabetes separately.
Projections suggest that in England, around 2.6 million people will have diabetes by 2010(3).
Sources:
(1) 2004-2005 quality and outcomes framework data published by the Health and Social Care information centre. This is the first year of data from this source.
(2) 2005-06 quality and outcomes framework data published by the Health and Social Care information centre.
(3) PBS diabetes prevalence model.
| All diagnoses and primary diagnoses counts of finished consultant episodes for diabetes—NHS hospitals, England: 1997-98 to 2005-06 | |
| All diagnoses count of finished consultant episodes | |
| Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) Health and Social Care Information Centre | |
Doctors: Training
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors are projected to qualify through Modernising Medical Careers in 2007. [120487]
Ms Rosie Winterton:
We are now recruiting for the first time to new specialty and general practice programmes set up under modernising medical careers. They will begin in August 2007. Programmes will vary in length from three to seven years and will be governed by new curricula approved by the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB). Many of the doctors taking up places in the new programmes will have undertaken previous training and consequently will not need to start the new programmes at the beginning. We have made provision for them to compete for entry into the new programmes during the second or third years of those
programmes. It is unlikely that many will qualify, that is, achieve a certificate of completion of training (issued by PMETB), in 2007. The needs of the national health service in 2007 and 2008 will, in the main, be met by the output of existing training programmes that will run alongside the modernising medical careers programmes for the time being.
Doctors: Vetting
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what checks are made of the (a) qualifications and (b) records of visiting surgeons performing operations in the NHS. [119011]
Ms Rosie Winterton: All doctors who wish to work in the United Kingdom must register with the General Medical Council (GMC). The following documentary evidence is needed by the GMC to support their application:
primary medical qualification;
specialist medical qualification;
licence to practice medicine;
certificate of good standing from a regulatory body of the country they are practising;
proof of nationality - passport or national identity card;
curriculum vitae;
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) certificate (if applicable); and
current registration fee.
As part of the process all overseas doctors must visit the GMC London office in person to undergo a pre-registration identity check. A photograph of the doctor will be taken and this will be made available to employers so they can be assured of the doctor's identity.
Full registration enables doctors to work in any form of professional medical practice in the UK. Doctors must, however, also hold specialist registration to take up a consultant post (other than a locum consultant post) in the national health service. General practitioners (GPs) must be on the GP register.
NHS trusts who recruit staff from abroad should carry out the necessary pre-appointment checks in accordance with NHS employers safer recruitment guidance. These checks should include:
verification of identity;
qualifications;
registration;
Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks;
alert letters;
Protection of Children Act (PoCA) check;
references; and
occupational health checks.
Executive Agencies
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which executive agencies are the responsibility of her Department; what the function is of each agency; and what the budget was of each agency in the most recent year for which figures are available. [116740]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department has two Executive agencies.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA):
The function of MHRA is to enhance and safeguard the health of the public by ensuring that medicines and medical devices work and are acceptably safe. They regulate a wide range of
materials from medicines and medical devices to blood and therapeutic products/services that are derived from tissue engineering.
MHRA operates as a trading fund and the costs of medicines regulations are met by fees charged to the pharmaceutical industry. Its income therefore depends on the demand for licenses for medicines. The devices function is funded by the Department.
The net operating cost for 2005-06 was £21.594 million
Source:
MHRA annual report
The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA):
The role of the agency is to act as a centre of expertise, knowledge and excellence in purchasing and supply matters for the health service.
The net operating cost for 2005-06 was £26.779 million.
Source:
PASA annual report
General Practitioners
Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to ensure that primary care trusts support general practitioners in their review of (a) service redesign and (b) care pathways; and if she will make a statement. [122829]
Andy Burnham: Primary care trusts (PCTs) support primary care practitioners in reviewing service design and existing care pathways as part of practice based commissioning (PBC). All PCTs had in place arrangements to support PBC by December 2006, providing each practice with an indicative budget, information on activity, and an incentive to become engaged as well as putting in place a governance and accountability framework.
New guidance published on 28 November 2006 sets out further obligations on PCTs to help advance PBC. The document sets out expectations that PCTs will:
develop and offer locally agreed incentives for practices;
address information needs (financial and activity) for practices in line with departmental guidelines and practice preferences;
provide practices with the tools and support they need to effectively discharge their commissioning responsibilities, either directly or through agreed alternative arrangements; and
use a combination of indicators to take a balanced view of practice engagement and the impact of PBC across the health economy.
Strategic health authorities are expected to assure themselves that there is a quality framework in place to support PBC.
Government Auctions
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health where her Department publishes information about Government auctions which it arranges or to which it contributes in (a) Blackpool, (b) Lancashire and (c) the north west; and when the next such auction will take place in each area. [117434]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department does not make a routine contribution to Government auctions and no timetable of forthcoming events is therefore available. The Department has used auctions to dispose of surplus assets where it was considered that this means of disposal would achieve the best price.
Haemophilia: Blood Transfusions
Jenny Willott:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment was made of the likely effect on affected people with haemophilia of receipt of the
information before the decision was taken to write to them informing them of their at risk status for public health purposes in relation to vCJD; and what alternatives were considered before it was decided to write to them in the terms which were used. [120760]
Caroline Flint: No such specific assessment has been made. Patients have been notified through the clinicians who treat them for haemophilia and bleeding disorders. Those specialist clinicians are best placed to identify the specific needs of their patients.
Health Education: Water
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what measures she has taken to promote the health benefits of good hydration to the general public; [122315]
(2) what advice her Department has issued on the health effects of drinking enough water; [122316]
(3) if she will commission research into the health effects of drinking enough water; [122317]
(4) what assessment she has made of the comparative health effects of water and (a) sweet, (b) fizzy and (c) high-caffeinated drinks. [122318]
Caroline Flint: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) advises that six to eight glasses (1.2 litres) of water, or other fluids, should be consumed every day to prevent dehydration. This amount should be increased when the weather is warm or when exercising.
The FSA has commissioned no specific research on the health effects of drinking water but keeps abreast of research in this area.
The FSA advises that food or drinks containing significant amounts of caffeine, such as coffee and some energy drinks, be consumed in moderation by children, pregnant women and others sensitive to caffeine. Cola drinks contain significantly lower levels of caffeine than coffee and caffeine-containing energy drinks and it is unlikely that their consumption by children would result in adverse effects. It also advises that fizzy and sugary drinks should be consumed sparingly and not between meals.
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