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2 May 2007 : Column 1784W—continued


Homeopathy

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether a patient wishing to choose NHS homeopathy and other forms of complementary medicine will be able to access such services from one of the four NHS homeopathic hospitals; and how many other hospitals plan to offer such services. [133931]

Caroline Flint: The homeopathic hospitals in the United Kingdom fall under the jurisdiction of the national health service in the area in which they are based. Any decisions on the services any of these hospitals provide are the responsibility of those NHS healthcare organisations.

The Government consider that decision-making on individual clinical interventions, whether conventional or complementary/alternative treatments, have to be a matter for local NHS service providers and practitioners as they are best placed to know their community's needs. In making such decisions, they have to take into account evidence regarding safety, the clinical and cost-effectiveness of any treatments, the
2 May 2007 : Column 1785W
availability of suitably qualified practitioners, and the needs of the individual patient. Clinical responsibility rests with the NHS professional who makes the decision to refer and who must therefore be able to justify any treatment they recommend. If they are unconvinced about the suitability of a particular treatment, they cannot be made to refer.

Influenza: Vaccination

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate she has made of the proportion of patients in each group whose health is deemed at risk from seasonal influenza who received their seasonal influenza immunisation for the 2006-07 winter. [131848]

Caroline Flint: Data collected by the Health Protection Agency for influenza vaccinations for 2006-07 show as follows:

Those under 65 years of age and in a medical risk group:

Percentage

Chronic respiratory disease

41

Chronic heart disease

54

Chronic renal disease

40

Chronic liver disease

32

Immunosuppression

34

Diabetes

69


Those aged 65 years and over—74 per cent.

Maternity Services: Death

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many maternal deaths there were whilst receiving maternity care in (a) Yorkshire and (b) England in each of the last three years. [132967]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information is not available in the format requested. However, the confidential enquiry into Maternal and Child Health (CEMACH)’s report on maternal death for the three-year period 2000-02 showed that there were 106 direct maternal deaths in that period, representing 5.3 deaths per thousand of the two million births. The next CEMACH report (for 2003-05) will be published at the end of the year.

Mental Health Services: Gloucestershire

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to make a final decision on the reconfiguration of mental health services provided by Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Trust. [135423]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The case has been referred to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel and the panel will provide advice to the Secretary of State by 27 July. Following receipt of the panel's report, the Secretary of State will then make a final decision on the case.

Modernising Medical Careers

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her oral statement on 16 April 2007, Official Report, column 41, on modernising
2 May 2007 : Column 1786W
medical careers, how many members of the independent review chaired by Professor John Tooke were members of the review group which dealt with this year’s recruitment process. [135060]

Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 30 April 2007]: Professor Sir John Tooke has not yet confirmed the membership of his review group, although this is being considered as a matter of urgency so that the independent review can commence its business as soon as possible.

National Midwifery Council: Funding

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding was provided by her Department to support the establishment of the National Midwifery Council. [133572]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: According to our records, the Department granted funding between April 2002 and April 2004 totalling £3,656,382.81 to support the establishment of the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Figures prior to April 2002 are currently unavailable without extensive research.

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what annual funding is provided by her Department to the National Midwifery Council. [133573]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: According to our records no funding has been paid to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) by the Department since April 2004. The NMC is an autonomous organisation funded by registration fees and does not receive funding from the Department.

NHS Direct

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the number of callers to NHS Direct who ring more than once a week; and whether individuals have been banned from calling NHS Direct. [134116]

Andy Burnham: The information requested is not held centrally. This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the NHS Direct national health service trust.

NHS Treatment Centres: Private Sector

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what her new policy is on providing an independent sector treatment centre for South East Essex; and if she will make a statement; [132603]

(2) how much has been spent to date on securing an independent sector treatment centre for South East Essex. [132605]

Andy Burnham: The Department is working with the NHS East of England SHA to deliver independent sector treatment centre (ISTC) services in Essex. It is currently anticipated that there will be three ISTCs in the region, located in Braintree, Basildon and Southend.


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The aims of the Department’s ISTC programme are to:

The ISTC programme comprises central resources which work across all schemes and the programme in general. These resources are not disaggregated by individual scheme.

In wave 1 of the ISTC programme ex-gratia payments were made in relation to the South Essex scheme. The amounts paid are commercially sensitive.

NHS: Choose and Book System

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of general practitioner referrals to first consultant-led out-patient services were made through the choose and book system by 1 April. [133826]

Andy Burnham: During March 2007 a total of 283,149 general practitioner referrals to first consultant-led out-patient services were made through the choose and book system. This equates to 38 per cent. of first out-patient referrals nationally, and represents a range of between 8 per cent. and 91 per cent. for different primary care trusts.

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2007, Official Report, column 318W, on patient choice schemes, what the total costs of (a) preparing, (b) implementing and (c) rolling out the Choose and Book system have been since the system was first proposed. [134619]

Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 13 March 2007, Official Report, column 317W.

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what budget was set for each local trust for the implementation of the Choose and Book system for each year in which the system has been in operation. [134624]

Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the response given on 12 March 2007, Official Report, column 141-42W.

NHS: Public Participation

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of (a) the winding-up costs of (i) the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health and (ii) PPI forums and (b) the start-up costs for local involvement networks; and if she will make a statement. [135300]

Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 1 May 2007]: The precise cost of winding-up the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) is
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not yet known as some costs such as those for making staff redundant will not become clear until later in the year. However, we do know that all costs associated with the wind-up of the CPPIH will be covered from within its existing funding allocation. There will be no costs associated with the wind-up of PPI forums as all associated costs for forums are contained within limited contracts between the CPPIH and forum support organisations.

The cost of establishing local involvement networks (LINks) will depend on locally relevant factors including size of the network, nature of the population, resource structure of the host, and other variables. Funds to cover LINk establishment and their running costs are currently being bid for as part of the spending review process.

Obesity: Children

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards meeting the public services agreement target of July 2004 that by 2010 the increase in obesity among children aged under 11 years will be halted. [131947]

Caroline Flint: Despite the very challenging nature of the public service agreement (PSA) target we have made good progress. For example:

Obviously tackling obesity is a complex issue, requiring action on a number of fronts and working closely with families and individuals to change behaviour. It is extremely positive that internationally our approach is regarded as good practice, informing for example, the World Health Organisation Europe Charter on Counteracting Obesity, published in November last year.

Patients: Per Capita Costs

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent per head by the NHS on care and treatment for (a) all people, (b) children, (c) young people, (d) those aged 65 years and over and (e) those aged 80 years and over in the most recent period for which figures are available. [134112]

Andy Burnham: The following table shows hospital and community health services (HCHS) expenditure
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per head of population in 2003-04. The table shows the available age group breakdown, which differs from that requested.

Age group Expenditure per head (£)

All births

2,742

Age 0-4

1,046

Age 5-15

210

Age 16-44

459

Age 45-64

586

Age 65-74

1,416

Age 75-84

2,371

Age 85+

4,077

Average

765

Note:
2003-04 is the latest year these data are available.
Source:
HCHS Programme Budget 2003-04 and ONS mid-year population estimates 2003.

Smoking: Railway and other Stations

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken with (a) train, bus and coach operators and (b) Network Rail to inform passengers of the introduction of a ban on smoking at railway and other stations. [133929]

Caroline Flint: The smokefree provisions within the Health Act 2006 will apply to virtually all enclosed and substantially enclosed public places and workplaces, as well as to public transport vehicles. Many forms of public transport are already smokefree. London Underground ended smoking on all its trains and stations 20 years ago.

The Department has met Network Rail and organisations representing all train operators, bus and coach operators in an effort to support the transport industry in their preparations for the implementation of smokefree legislation on 1 July 2007.

All smokefree premises and vehicles will be required under smokefree legislation to display no-smoking signs that meet specified requirements. Signs will allow clear communication with smokers so they are clear where smoking is not permitted under the new law. Signs will also make it clear to non-smokers where they have a right to expect a smokefree environment, as well as helping to demonstrate that people who manage premises are taking reasonable steps to prevent smoking from taking place. The Government has drafted smokefree regulations to ensure that much of the pre-existing no-smoking signage displayed in public transport vehicles will meet requirements.

Smoking: Social Clubs

Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to ensure working men’s clubs are aware of the forthcoming ban on smoking. [130101]


2 May 2007 : Column 1790W

Caroline Flint: The Department is providing a range of information and support to businesses to help them be ready for the implementation of smokefree legislation on 1 July 2007.

On 23 March 2007, the Department published the guide “Everything you need to prepare for the new smokefree law on 1 July 2007”, with comprehensive information on smokefree legislation for businesses. The guide will be included within a pack that was posted to all employing and trading businesses in England, including working men’s clubs, during April and is also available to download on the Smokefree England website at:


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