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26 July 2007 : Column 1319W—continued
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on the domiciliary oxygen service in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each health trust in the year preceding the introduction of the new domiciliary oxygen service. [152973]
Mr. Bradshaw: Expenditure on the home oxygen service prior to the introduction of the new service was not collected centrally.
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implications of the changed arrangements for home oxygen therapy for (a) waiting times, (b) patient safety and (c) emergency supply; and if he will make a statement. [153628]
Mr. Bradshaw: Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for managing the home oxygen service locally, including assessing how the new arrangements relate to waiting times, patient safety and emergency supply.
PCTs have access, on the home oxygen website, to a clinical assessment services commissioning framework, which outlines how these services, together with the new home oxygen service, can help reduce waiting times while supporting patients in managing their symptoms at home.
Under the terms of the contract, all suppliers are required to provide information and training on the safe and effective use of oxygen equipment provided to patients and their families. Suppliers also make clear to patients the dangers of using oxygen if they continue to smoke or use equipment close to fires or other naked flames. Suppliers are required to report any incident involving patient safety to PCTs. It is for PCTs to report all serious incidents and to take any appropriate follow-up action, whether reported by a supplier, health care professional or a patient, to strategic health authorities and the National Patient Safety Agency.
From national service data provided by suppliers, I am able to confirm that all new suppliers are meeting the response time target 99 per cent. of the time for emergency supply. This is a priority service and, under the terms of the contract, all suppliers are required to supply oxygen at home within four hours of receiving an order for emergency supply.
Homeopathy
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what consultations were carried out with (a) the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital, (b) patient representatives and (c) representatives of practising homoeopaths prior to the decision to change funding for the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital; [152796]
(2) what homoeopathic services will be available to the residents of Brent following changes in funding for treatment at the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital. [152797]
Mr. Bradshaw:
This is a local matter. The homoeopathic 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 that any of these hospitals provide are the responsibility of those NHS healthcare organisations.
Hospital Beds
Mr. Maude:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds there were per capita for (a) acute medicine, (b) general surgery, (c) orthopaedics, (d)
maternity and (e) paediatrics in each (i) strategic health authority and (ii) primary care trust in England in each of the last 10 years; and what projections he has made of bed numbers in future years. [151464]
Ann Keen: Provider data by strategic health authority are shown in the following tables. Commissioner data are not collected centrally.
| Total: Beds per capita | ||||||||||
| SHA | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
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