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21 Jun 2007 : Column 2178W—continued
Cluster Headaches: Medical Treatments
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what treatment is provided by the NHS for cluster headaches; whether the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has been consulted on possible treatments for the problem; and what representations she has received on the effectiveness of occipital nerve stimulation as a procedure for treating cluster headaches. [143942]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: A range of pharmacological interventions are available to prevent the occurrence of cluster headaches, and to relieve the pain of attacks. It is the responsibility of health professionals to consider what treatment is the most appropriate for their patients, in consultation with the patient and informed by their medical history. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has not been consulted on treatments for cluster headaches.
The Department has not received representations on the effectiveness of occipital nerve stimulation in the treatment of cluster headaches.
Health Services: Overseas Visitors
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate her Department has made of the outstanding amount of money owed by foreign nationals for the use of NHS facilities. [144524]
Ms Rosie Winterton: It is not possible to provide the information requested. Successive Governments have not required the national health service to provide statistics on the number of foreign nationals seen, treated or charged under the provisions of the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989, as amended, nor any costs involved.
Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether treatment under the European Health Insurance Card is paid for by the country where the card originated, the country where the treatment is given or the country where the patient is normally resident. [142043]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Under European Union regulations, the member state who issues the European Health Insurance Card is responsible for payment when any treatment is given.
Health Services: Training
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what (a) funding for training purposes was provided to and (b) expenditure on training was made by each strategic health authority in 2006-07; [137294]
(2) pursuant to the answer of 8 May 2007, Official Report, column 162W, on the NHS: training, what funding for training purposes was allocated to strategic health authorities (SHAs) in 2006-07, broken down by SHA; and what the actual expenditure on training was in each authority. [137373]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The funding provided to strategic health authorities for training and education in 2006-07 is shown in the following table.
| 2006-07 multi professional education and training (MPET) allocations | |
| Strategic health authority (SHA) | Total MPET allocations (£000) |
The actual amount spent on education for 2006-07 is not yet known.
The Department of Health is in the process of collecting returns relating to expenditure on education and training in 2006-07. Validated data are expected to be available by the end of June 2007.
Health Visitors
Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent health visitor posts there were in each year since 1997, broken down by primary care trust; and if she will make a statement. [122828]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information has been placed in the Library.
Primary care trusts were first introduced in 2001-02, so we have produced a table showing health visiting staff by organisation in the period 2001 to 2006.
Health Visitors: East Sussex
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health visitors were employed in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex in each of the last 10 years. [130971]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is only available from 2002 onwards. The number of community health professionals, which includes health visitors, in the East Sussex Downs and Weald primary care trust (PCT) area since 2002 is contained in the following table.
| National health service hospital and community health services: Qualified community nurses in the East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT as at 30 September each specified year | |||||
| Headcount | |||||
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
| Notes: 1. On 1 October Sussex Downs and Weald PCT was formed from a complete merger of Eastbourne Downs and Sussex Downs and Weald PCTs. 2006 figures are as at 1 October 2006. 2002-05 figures are an aggregate of the two predecessor organisations. 2. More accurate validation processes in 2006 have resulted in the identification and removal of 9,858 duplicate non-medical staff records out of the total work force figure of 1.3 million in 2006. Earlier years’ figures could not be accurately validated in this way and so will be slightly inflated, the level of inflation in earlier years’ figures is estimated to be less than 1 per cent. of total across all non-medical staff groups for headcount figures (and negligible for full-time equivalents). This should be taken into consideration when analysing trends over time. Sources: 1. The information centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census. 2. The Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics | |||||
Heart Diseases/Cancer
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent comparative assessment she has made of survival rates for (a) heart attack and (b) cancers with those of other (i) EU and (ii) Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries; and what such assessment she has made of rates (A) 10 and (B) 20 years ago. [144117]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Data are not collected centrally for heart attacks.
Cancer registries in England participate in the Eurocare Project, which measures and explains differences in cancer survival rates across Europe. Twenty countries participate in the project covering a total population of 100 million.
The latest report, EUROCARE-3, tracks patients who were diagnosed with cancer between 1990 and 1994 and followed up to 1999. It puts England in the middle ranking for survival rates, roughly below other Western European countries and above Eastern European Countries.
The next report, EUROCARE-4, which is due later this year tracks patients diagnosed in 1995-2002 and followed up to 2003. We believe that the next publication of figures will show that the gap between England and other Western European countries has narrowed. Earlier reports cover cancer patients who were diagnosed between 1978 and 1985, and followed
up to 1990 (EUROCARE) and those diagnosed between 1985 and 1989, and followed up to 1994 (EUROCARE-2).
Heart Diseases: Screening
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to the answer of 23 May 2007, Official Report, column 1130W, on heart diseases: screening, what further detailed practical work on abdominal aortic aneurysm screening implementation should be undertaken to ensure a phased roll out of a national screening programme for men aged 65 years and over; and if she will make a statement; [142698]
(2) what response her Department has made to the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Working Group's recommendations, submitted in their progress report to the National Screening Committee's meeting in March 2007; and if she will make a statement. [142699]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (NSC) is considering the practical implications that would be involved in implementing a screening programme for abdominal aortic aneurysms. Further detailed work under the auspice of the NSC is being undertaken on a number of practical issues. These include developing standard operating procedures, programme standards, quality assurance procedures and training requirements. Officials will be kept informed on how this work develops.
Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust: Training
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the staff training budget was for Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust in each of the last three years. [140745]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
In Vitro Fertilisation
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many men were registered as sperm donors in each of the last five years. [144321]
Caroline Flint:
The number of sperm donors currently recorded by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority for each of the last five
financial years is set out in the following table. Numbers may change as new information is obtained.
| Total number | |
When donor anonymity was removed from 1 April 2005 there were concerns about the impact on donor numbers. Therefore we welcome the increased numbers in 2005-06 and will continue to encourage good practice in terms of donor recruitment.
Injuries: Children
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many recorded injuries excluding fatalities there were of children aged (a) 0 to four, (b) five to eight, (c) nine to 12 and (d) 13 to 16 years in each year since 1997; [144260]
(2) how many recorded injuries excluding fatalities there were of children aged (a) 0 to four, (b) five to eight, (c) nine to 12 and (d) 13 to 16 years where the injury was recorded as taking place (i) in the home, (ii) at school, (iii) in hospital, (iv) on a sports ground or other place where sporting activities occur, (v) in public parks and (vi) in other places in each year since 1997. [144261]
Caroline Flint: Data are not collected centrally precisely in the form requested. Data that most closely relate to the requested figures are from the Home and Leisure Accident Surveillance System, available for 1997 to 2002. These data cover injuries from non-fatal home and leisure accidents leading to an accident and emergency (A&E) visit (intentional injuries, road traffic and work accidents, and injuries treated by general practitioners or at home are not included). The figures are estimates for the United Kingdom, based on a sample of hospitals. The table shows data for published childhood age groups, and for locations relevant to the requested breakdown. More detail is available in the home and leisure accident surveillance system annual reports
or from Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, which hold the detailed data
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