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23 July 2007 : Column 804W—continued
| Table 2 NHS( 1) hospital admissions( 2) for adults( 3) where there was either a primary( 4 ) or secondary—England | ||
| Number | ||
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| (1) The data include private patients in NHS hospitals (but not private patients in private hospitals) (2) A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the data year. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year (3) Aged 16 and over (4) The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital (5) The figures for primary or secondary diagnosis represent a count of all finished in-year admissions where the diagnosis was mentioned in any of the 14 diagnosis fields in a HES record (6) Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (7) Figures do not include hospital admissions for accidents, illnesses or diseases that do not directly relate to alcohol consumption but can be attributed to alcohol consumption Source: Hospital Episode Statistics. The Information Centre, 2007 | ||
Barnet Primary Care Trust: Pay
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to improve payroll arrangements at Barnet primary care trust, with particular reference to the time taken to correct errors; and if he will make a statement; [150376]
(2) how many employees of Barnet primary care trust experienced payroll errors in each of the last six months; and if he will make a statement. [150450]
Ann Keen: This is a local matter and is the responsibility of Barnet primary care trust.
Cancer: Medical Treatments
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether his Department has undertaken a cost-benefit analysis of the use of photodynamic therapy cancer treatments compared with other cancer treatments in respect of (a) patient care and (b) NHS finances; [151341]
(2) whether his Department plans to extend the use and availability of photodynamic therapy cancer treatments; [151342]
(3) what the median cost per patient was of photodynamic therapy cancer treatment in comparison to other cancer treatments in the latest period for which figures are available; [151343]
(4) what obstacles exist to widening the use and availability of photodynamic therapy cancer treatments within the NHS; [151344]
(5) what representations he has received from (a) medical bodies and (b) cancer charities on photodynamic therapy cancer treatment; [151345]
(6) how many NHS patients with relevant conditions were offered photodynamic therapy cancer treatments in the latest period for which figures are available; [151346]
(7) what assessment his Department has made of the impact of photodynamic therapy cancer treatments within the NHS on (a) patient throughput, (b) bed use and (c) patient recovery times. [151348]
Ann Keen: The Department has made no assessment of the impact of photodynamic therapy (PDT) cancer treatments within the national health service on patient throughput, bed use and patient recovery times. The department has not made a cost-benefit analysis of the use of photodynamic therapy cancer treatments compared with other cancer treatments in respect of patient care and NHS finances.
Information on the number of patients offered photodynamic therapy cancer treatment or the cost per patient of photodynamic therapy cancer treatment is not collected by the Department.
As part of its programme of work on interventional procedures, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued guidance on the use of PDT in the treatment of several cancers.
NICE has stated that PDT for the treatment of Barrett's oesophagus, advanced bronchial carcinoma, endobronchial carcinoma, bile duct cancer and skin tumours is safe and works well enough for use in the NHS, provided normal arrangements are in place for consent, audit and clinical governance.
NICE has also issued guidance on the use of PDT for early stage oesophageal cancer, stating that current evidence on PDT for the treatment of this disease is not adequate to support its use without special arrangements for consent, audit and clinical governance.
It will be for the NHS locally to decide whether to offer this treatment to patients. Where a local decision is made to do so, it will be for the relevant primary care trust to plan how to make PDT available to patients and identify any obstacles which might need to be overcome.
The Department has received a number of written representations about photodynamic therapy cancer treatment from the charity Killing Cancer.
Chemicals: Health Hazards
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has conducted into the impact on (a) indoor air quality and (b) human health of the use of air fresheners. [151749]
Dawn Primarolo:
In 1997, the Department together with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) commissioned a joint research programme on the effects on health of exposure to air pollutants and damp in the home. This programme focused on indoor air pollution and its effects on health. In particular, the health effects on sensitive individuals within the population and the
interactions between indoor air pollutants and health effects of damp in the domestic environment. There were 13 projects in total, seven of which were funded directly by the Department. Further details of these projects can be found at table three of “Air Pollution Research Funded” which is available on the Department’s website at:
Copies are available in the Library.
Air freshening products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and in 1997, the Department’s Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) was asked to consider the health effects of exposure to VOCs in the home. As part of this, COMEAP considered data collected by the Buildings Research Establishment on behalf of the DETR and had published a statement in their 1997-98 annual report which is available at
Copies are available in the Library.
COMEAP has published a document “Guidance on the Effects on Health of Indoor Air Pollutants” on its website
Copies have been placed in the Library.
This contains a brief section on volatile organic compounds and on household products. It advises that ensuring good ventilation in homes is the best way to reduce exposure.
Clostridium: Disease Control
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent advice his Department has given to hospitals on the (a) prevention and (b) treatment of clostridium difficile. [151451]
Ann Keen: In addition to the answer given to the hon. Member on 19 March 2007, Official Report, column 725W, we issued a revised version of “Saving Lives: a delivery programme to reduce healthcare associated infections including MRSA” on 21 June 2007. This includes an updated high impact intervention on Clostridium difficile (C.difficile) and “Antimicrobial prescribing—A summary of good practice”. The latter is relevant because improved prescribing helps to prevent C.difficile infection.
Dehydration
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effect of mild dehydration on mental performance in (a) children and (b) adults. [151141]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government have not assessed the effect of mild dehydration on mental performance.
The Government do, however, advise that 6-8 glasses (about 1.2 litres) of water, or other fluids, should be consumed every day to prevent dehydration. This is based on physiological studies and this amount should be increased when the weather is warm or when exercising.
Dental Services: Gloucestershire
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists practised in Gloucestershire in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available, broken down by constituency. [151716]
Ann Keen: Numbers of national health service dentists in England as at 31 March 1997 to 2006 are available in the “NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report England: 31 March 2006”. Information at parliamentary constituency area is available in Annex G. Annex E also contains information at strategic health authority (SHA) and primary care trust (PCT) area. This information is based on the old contractual arrangements. This report is available in the Library and is also available at:
Numbers of NHS dentists in England as at 30 June, 30 September, 31 December 2006 and 31 March 2007 are available in Table G of Annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics for England Q4: 31 March 2007 report. These data are not provided at constituency level.
This report is available in the Library and is also available at:
The figures for quarter 4 and the earlier quarters in the year are provisional and are subject to revision. The final work force figure for 2006-07 will not be available until August 2007 when the information centre for health and social care will publish an end year report on the first 12 months of the new contractual arrangements.
This information is based on the new dental contractual arrangements and is not directly comparable with earlier information.
In both sets of figures, no account is taken of the level of service, if any, that each dentist provides.
Dental Services: Lancashire
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people in (a) Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust and (b) North Lancashire NHS Trust are registered with an NHS dentist. [152015]
Ann Keen: Registration data no longer forms part of the data available under the new national health service dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006. The new measure is patients seen in the previous 24 months and is not comparable to the registration data for earlier years.
The numbers of patients seen as a percentage of the population in the previous 24 months are available in table F2 of Annex 3 of the “NHS Dental Statistics for England Q4: 31 March 2007” report. Information is for the previous 24 months ending 31 March, 30 June, 30 September, 31 December 2006 and 31 March 2007 and is available at strategic health authority and primary care trust (PCT) area in England.
This report is available in the Library. It is also available at:
As from 1 October 2006, Morecambe Bay PCT has been integrated into Cumbria PCT and North Lancashire PCT. Information for Cumbria PCT and North Lancashire PCT is included in the report.
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in (a) North Lancashire NHS Trust and (b) Morecambe Bay have NHS patients. [152016]
Ann Keen: Information on private dentists is not collected centrally.
The numbers of dentists on open national health service contracts are available in Table G of Annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics for England Q4: 31 March 2007 report. Information is as at 30 June, 30 September, 31 December 2006 and 31 March 2007 and is available at strategic health authority and primary care trust (PCT) area in England.
This report is available in the Library. It is also available at:
The figures for quarter 4 and the earlier quarters in the year are provisional and are subject to revision. The final workforce figure for 2006-07 will not be available until August 2007 when the Information Centre for health and social care will publish an end year report on the first 12 months of the new contractual arrangements.
In the figures in the report, no account is taken of the level of service, if any, that each dentist provides.
As from 1 October 2006, Morecambe Bay PCT has been integrated into Cumbria PCT and North Lancashire PCT. Information for Cumbria PCT and North Lancashire PCT is included in the above report.
Departments: Finance
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the final settlement letter his Department received from HM Treasury as part of the 2002 Spending Review process. [148902]
Mr. Bradshaw: No. Publishing Spending Review papers would be prejudicial to the conduct of public affairs.
Departments: Flint Bishop Solicitors
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have made payments to Flint Bishop Solicitors since 1997. [151399]
Dawn Primarolo: After looking into both of our financial databases which cover financial years 2001-02 to date, we can find no evidence that the firm in question was ever entered on to our systems to received payments from the Department.
Departments: Visits Abroad
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many overseas visits were made by (a) officials and (b) Ministers within his responsibility, and at what cost, in each year since 1997. [151658]
Dawn Primarolo: This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Since 1999, the Government have published on an annual basis, a list of all overseas visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500, as well as the total cost of all ministerial travel overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library. Information for 2006-07 is currently being compiled and will be published before the summer recess. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the “Civil Service Management Code” and the “Ministerial Code”.
Doctors: Training
Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations his Department has received from doctors on problems with (a) Modernising Medical Careers and (b) the Medical Training Application Service. [148310]
Ann Keen: The Department has received representations concerning the Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) programme.
The Department has also met with many stakeholders. In the light of the widespread concern an independent review of the MMC recruitment and selection process was set up; led by Professor Neil Douglas, vice chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. Members of the review group included representatives of the Royal Colleges, the British Medical Association, the four United Kingdom Health Departments and NHS Employers.
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