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30 Apr 2007 : Column 1508W—continued
Colorectal Cancer: Screening
Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many faecal occult blood testing kits have been distributed by each hub participating in the NHS bowel cancer screening programme; how many have been returned and analysed; how many returned kits were positive; how many individuals were subsequently referred for further investigation; what the take-up rate was of individuals referred for further investigation; how many individuals subsequently underwent a colonoscopy; and how many individuals were subsequently diagnosed with bowel cancer. [130886]
Ms Rosie Winterton: There are five bowel screening programme hubs in England and their activity, as at 26 March 2007, is set out in the following table. It shows: how many invitations have been sent out to those aged 60 to 69; the screening age group, in each hub's local area; how many people aged 70 and over have self referred and opted in to the programme; how many faecal occult blood (FOB) test kits were sent out by each hub; how many of the FOB kits were returned; and how many of these gave a positive result.
| Programme hubs | Invitations sent to 60 to 69s | Opt-in over 70s | Test kits sent | Returned kits | Positive results |
All individuals with a positive FOB test kit result are invited to attend a FOB test positive clinic. As of 26 March 2007, 959 people had attended a clinic. At the clinic, a screening nurse assesses the person's suitability to undergo colonoscopy. The number of colonoscopies undertaken was 664, giving a colonoscopy uptake rate of 69 per cent.
The following table shows the colonoscopies broken down by screening centre, as of 26 March 2007.
| Local screening centre | Screening nurse clinic attendance | Colonoscopies |
101 cancers have so far been diagnosed, but these cannot be broken down by screening centre for patient confidentiality reasons. 342 patients were diagnosed with polyps which may have developed into cancer over time. Treating polyps has reduced their risk of bowel cancer.
Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of faecal occult blood testing kits distributed since implementation of the NHS bowel cancer screening programme have been returned by (a) women and (b) men. [131016]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is in the following table as at 30 March 2007.
| Gender | Number of testing kits sent out | Percentage | Number of testing kits returned | Percentage |
Mr. O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the impact on capacity for colonoscopy services of the roll-out of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. [131051]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Billericay (Mr. Baron) on 16 April 2007, Official Report, column 321W.
Departments: Official Hospitality
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place to limit the amount of money spent on alcohol for hospitality purposes by her Department. [132200]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Departmental budget managers are required to observe our code of business conduct. This states hospitality such as business meals or drinks outside of normal working hours can be provided on an appropriate scale but states particular care must be taken to ensure that the provision of alcohol is limited and reasonable.
Health Hazards: Radiation
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost is of the decontamination of 140 Osier Crescent, London, N10. [133040]
Angela E. Smith: I have been asked to reply.
This is a matter that the London borough of Haringey is pursuing with representatives of the owning company. Until a full survey is undertaken, it is not possible to give an estimate of the costs of remediation work. In the meantime, the London borough of Haringey has taken action to restrict access to the house and reassured the public that living close to the property in Osier Crescent is not a health hazard.
Health Services: Rural Areas
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of the closure programmes for community hospitals in rural areas on the delivery of NHS care to rural communities. [133625]
Andy Burnham: There is no centrally co-ordinated closure programme for community hospitals in England. Proposals for changes to the way services are delivered locally are a matter for local commissioners in conjunction with local people. Primary care trusts in England are expected to take into account issues such as the impact on rural areas when making decisions about the configuration of services locally.
Health Services: South West Region
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has approved proposals from the South West Strategic Health Authority to rebalance NHS provision away from acute hospital care to out-of-hospital care in the community; and if she will make a statement. [133171]
Andy Burnham: Any proposals for the reconfiguration of services are a matter for the national health service locally.
There is a well established and well understood process for managing formal public consultations on proposed changes so that patients, the public and other stakeholders can help to inform the local debate.
However, our vision for providing more services in settings that are convenient for patients was set out in “Our Health, Our Care, Our Say”.
Although one of our goals is to treat people more quickly and conveniently closer to home, this should only happen where it is consistent with safety and good quality care.
Hospital Wards
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2007, Official Report, column 1593W, on mixed-sex wards, whether she has determined a timescale for publication of the reports she received on mixed-sex wards from strategic health authorities on 11 December 2006. [131849]
Ms Rosie Winterton: No timescale has yet been decided. The information will be used as part of a comprehensive assessment of the situation, including identification of best practice examples. This will be released in due course.
Hospitals: Greater London
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies were frozen in each quarter of the last five years in each hospital in London, broken down by staff department. [132334]
Andy Burnham: This information is not held centrally.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much was paid by NHS trusts in asset charges for unoccupied or unused space in each hospital in London in each of the last five years; [132335]
(2) how much (a) ward, (b) public, (c) office and (d) other space is unoccupied or unused in each hospital in London. [132336]
Andy Burnham: The information requested is not held centrally.
Maternity Services: Ashurst
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) financial and (b) managerial responsibilities are of (i) Hampshire Primary Care
Trust and (ii) Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust with respect to implementing a new maternity unit at Ashurst; and if she will make a statement. [134093]
Caroline Flint: Any proposals for improvements to services are a matter for the national health service locally.
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust led the formal public consultation on these proposals which are now being implemented by the trust to provide the best possible support for local women.
Medicine: Students
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage change in the bursaries that (a) nursing, (b) midwifery, (c) medical, (d) dental and (e) allied health professional students received there was in each year since 1997. [131934]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Table one shows the national health service bursary rates for the basic awards, not including additional allowances, for the period 1997 to 2008 and the annual percentage increases. The majority of nurses and midwives receive the non-means tested bursary. Medical and dental students and the majority of allied health professional students receive the means-tested NHS bursary. The NHS bursary scheme has supported allied health professional students since 1998 and medical and dental undergraduate students since September 2002 from their fifth and subsequent years of study. During the first four years’ of study, medical and dental students receive support under the Department for Education and Skills regulations.
In addition to the basic NHS bursary awards there are a number of other allowances.
| Basic NHS bursary rates for academic years 1997-98 to 2007-08 | ||||||
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | |
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