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24 May 2007 : Column 1516W—continued
Mental Health Services: Hospital Wards
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) mixed sex wards and (b) same sex wards are available in each mental health trust; how many beds there are in each such ward; and if she will make a statement. [137875]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
Standards of privacy and dignity are measured by the Healthcare Commission against two core standards, which require that:
(C13a)—staff treat patients, their relatives and carers with dignity and respect; and
(C20b)—health care services are provided in environments which promote effective care and optimize health outcomes by being... supportive of patient privacy and confidentiality.
Currently, one mental health trust states that they do not meet standard C13a and four mental health trusts report that they do not meet standard C20b.
Mental Health Services: Waiting Lists
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) median and (b) mean waiting times for patients waiting to see mental health specialists as (i) an out-patient first attendance and (ii) an in-patient admission were in each year since 1997. [137389]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information is shown in the following table. It should be noted that waiting times collected by the Department relate to consultant-led services only.
| Commissioner based waiting time information for mental health specialties, 1997 to 2007 | |||||
| Out-patient appointment | In-patient admission | ||||
| Month end | Mean (weeks) | Median (weeks) | Mean (weeks) | Median (weeks) | |
| (1 )Total in-patient waiting lists below 100 people for mental health specialties. It should be noted that for these low numbers the mean and median waiting times are prone to fluctuations. Notes: 1. The figures are based on combined data from the following mental health specialties: Mental Illness, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Old Age Psychiatry. 2. In-patient waiting time based on mean/median wait of those still waiting at end of period. Out-patient waiting times based on time waited for those seen during the quarter. Source: Department of Health, QF01 and QMO8rs | |||||
Midwives: Vacancies
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage three-month vacancy rate was for midwives in each year since 1997. [135880]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Three-month vacancy rates were collected for the first time in March 1999. The table shows the national vacancy rate for midwives each year since 1999.
| National vacancy rates for midwives 1999 to 2006 in England | |
| Percentage Rate | |
NHS: Career Structure
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding was allocated to the NHS Careers service in each year since 1999-2000; and how many people the service employed in each year. [135890]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Information on funding allocated to the NHS Careers service is available for each year starting from 2002. NHS Careers services range from a careers advice line to a careers website to support recruitment to the national health service. The breakdown of funding given in the following table is for the different aspects of NHS Careers service and includes costs for staffing. However, to identify costs of staffing separately would be available only at disproportionate costs.
NHS Employers assumed responsibility for NHS Careers service in July 2005.
| NHS Careers service since 2002 | ||
| COI j ob number | COI Job name | Cost (£) |
NHS: Finance
Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how she plans to ensure that local councils which receive a targeted grant provided for making contractual arrangements with a host organisation to support a LINK spend all the grant for that purpose. [136435]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department will allocate the targeted specific grant to local authorities with social services responsibility under section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003.
While this grant will not be ring-fenced, the targeted grant enables us to target precise amounts to individual
authorities. Local authorities will be under a statutory duty to establish local involvement networks (LINKs) and the grant amounts will be publicly available.
We will be encouraging health overview and scrutiny committees (OSCs) of local authorities to scrutinise the amount of money each host organisation receives in relation to the grant allocated to the local authority. We are working with the Centre for Public Scrutiny to ensure OSCs are supported in this role. LINKs will also be under a duty to produce an annual report to the Secretary of State, which will need to include details of the amounts of money allocated to them for their activities.
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