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26 July 2007 : Column 1340W—continued
Mental Health Services: Young People
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new cases were dealt with by child and adolescent mental health services in each of the last five years. [150656]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The number of new cases dealt with by specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in England was as follows.
| Cases | |
| Source: CAMHS mapping data 2002-06 | |
Midwives: Manpower
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of midwives working in the NHS in England. [151616]
Mr. Bradshaw: It is important that these assessments are made locally as they know their local needs best and can ensure that services are developed to meet these needs.
The 2007-08 national health service operating framework requires local NHS organisations to undertake a review of their maternity services, identify the gaps and barriers to service development and set out their local strategy for delivery of maternity matters. The review needs to include an assessment of their workforce capacity.
Between September 1997 and September 2006, the (headcount) number of midwives employed in the NHS has increased by 2,084 (9 per cent).
Midwives: Training
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many training places for student midwives are planned to be provided in (a) the 2007-08 academic year and (b) subsequent years; what factors are taken into account in deciding the number commissioned; which (i) individuals and (ii) organisations were consulted in that decision; and who decides how many places will be commissioned. [151613]
Mr. Bradshaw: A total of 2,116 planned student midwifery training places were commissioned for the 2007-08 academic year. Information on the number of planned training places for subsequent years is not available centrally.
When determining the number of training places needed, the existing number of midwifes, the expected number of graduates and policy priorities such as Maternity Matters are expected to be taken into account.
Strategic health authorities will have the final decision on how many places to commission. The Department has a service level agreement with local strategic health authorities (SHAs) which expects them to make decisions and plans based on long-term workforce planning using national and local data sources with support from the national workforce review team. It is for individual SHAs to decide on the appropriate organisations to consult.
Multiple Sclerosis: Drugs
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the review on the use of the drug Sativex by multiple sclerosis patients will conclude; and if he will make a statement. [153485]
Mr. Ivan Lewis:
The review period for Sativex concluded on 19 July 2007 when the applicant for the marketing authorisation, GW Pharmaceuticals Ltd, withdrew the application in all concerned member
states (Netherland, Denmark, Spain and the United Kingdom). No further review on Sativex is possible until another application is submitted by the company.
Musculoskeletal Disorders: Health Services
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he will assess implementation of the Musculoskeletal Services Framework beyond the 18-week target. [152980]
Ann Keen: The Musculoskeletal Services Framework (MSF) was published as good practice guidance and it is for local organisations to decide how best to implement it. The Department will not be monitoring local implementation formally, but will continue to monitor indicators such as waiting times and to liaise with stakeholders such as those represented on the National Orthopaedics Co-ordinating Group.
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many submissions his Department has received on addressing musculoskeletal problems in the Quality and Outcomes Framework. [152981]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department of Health does not receive any submissions on changes to the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF).
The independent expert panel which advises the negotiating parties to the general medical services contract on the evidence for changes to the QOF invited submissions for a review of QOF in 2005. The panel received two submissions in relation to falls, one in relation to osteoarthritis and seven in relation to osteoporosis. All submissions were considered and the expert panel produced reports which have been published on the University of Birmingham website.
As part of the ongoing development of the framework, indicators will be subject to continuing review in the light of emerging evidence, in the context of a value for money agreement. The expert panel again invited patient groups and professional bodies to submit evidence on current or potential future areas in QOF by 28 February this year. The panel has now concluded oral sessions with submitting groups. NHS Employers, which holds the contract with the expert panel and negotiates changes to the contract with the British Medical Association, intends to make further information available on this process soon.
NHS Direct
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls were made to NHS Direct in each of the last five years; and what progress is being made on the development and implementation of the telephone internet and digital service as recommended in the White Paper, “Choosing Health”. [152239]
Mr. Bradshaw: The NHS Direct Trust has provided the following information.
The “Choosing Health” White Paper commitment to develop and implement telephone, internet and digital services is being delivered through the new NHS Choices website, available at www.nhs.uk/Pages/homepage.aspx. This currently incorporates a Live Well area; a local services search facility; and personalised, national health service accredited content that reflects the interests and needs of different age groups across a spectrum of issues and factors which can impact upon length and quality of life. Further services, including testing of SMS text messaging and digital television, will be added later this year.
NHS Treatment Centres
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of operating walk-in centres was in each primary care trust in the latest year for which figures are available. [152269]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department does not collect this information centrally. Primary Care Trusts are responsible for commissioning NHS walk-in centres.
NHS Treatment Centres: York
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated at York NHS walk-in centre in each year since it opened. [151639]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested is contained in the following table.
| Attendances at NHS Walk in Centre (WiC), North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust (PCT), 2003-04 to 2006-07 | ||
| Organisation | Attendances | |
| Notes: 1. Attendances at WiCs were not collected as part of the QMAE return prior to 2003-04. Throughout this period the organisations above only reported one WiC each quarter. 2. On 1 October 2006, Selby and York PCT merged with three other PCTs to form North Yorkshire and York PCT. Source: Department of Health dataset QMAE. | ||
NHS: Accountancy
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on which dates the annual accounts of the NHS were published in each of the last five years. [151515]
Mr. Bradshaw: All national health service bodies are required to publish their accounts locally. The accounts must be presented at a public meeting held no later than 30 September following the end of the financial year (31 March).
The National Audit Office publishes the NHS summarised accounts for strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and NHS trusts. The publication dates for the last five financial years were:
2001-02: 21 March 2003
2002-03: 28 April 2004
2003-04: 24 June 2005
2004-05: 7 June 2006
2005-06: not yet published
NHS: Drugs
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department put in place formal arrangements with the Department of Trade and Industry to ensure co-operation when representing the interests of the pharmaceutical industry, as stated on page 24 of the Government's response to the Health Committee's report “The Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry”, Cm 6655; whether this formal co-operation now takes place between his Department and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform; whether this formal co-operation extends to representing the interests of the (a) nutraceutical, (b) food supplements and (c) specialist nutritional products industries; and if he will make a statement. [153398]
Dawn Primarolo: In line with the Government response to the Health Committee’s report “The Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry”, the Department and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) have put in place formal arrangements to ensure close working between both Departments on issues relating to the pharmaceutical industry.
The directors of the Medicines, Pharmacy and Industry Group (MPIG) in the Department and the Business Relations Group at BERR meet regularly and work closely in taking forward this agenda. In addition, officials in the Industry Branch within MPIG and in the BioScience Unit of the Business Relations Unit meet on a quarterly basis. They also work closely on a day-to-day basis taking forward policy relating to the United Kingdom-based pharmaceutical industry. These formal relations were put in place in 2005 and continue today.
The Department sponsors the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries. It does not sponsor the nutraceutical, food supplements and specialist nutritional products industries, and similar relations with BERR are not required.
NHS: Finance
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the per capita funding allocated to each primary care trust in England was in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what the national average NHS per capita funding was in each such year. [142734]
Mr. Bradshaw: A table showing the funds per capita for each primary care trust in England and the England average for the years 2003-04 to 2007-08 has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department’s 2002 Spending Review settlement set financial limits on the negotiation of a new contract for the delivery of general medical services. [151425]
Mr. Bradshaw: The cost of the new contract for the delivery of general medical services was just one of the many components that made up the Department’s 2002 Spending Review settlement.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2007, Official Report, column 1487W, on NHS: finance, if he will place in the Library copies of the guidance on the introduction of Resource Accounting and Budgeting issued to the NHS by his Department in 2000 and the consolidated guidance issued in February 2001. [153486]
Mr. Bradshaw: Copies of “A guide to resource accounting and budgeting for the NHS”, issued by the Department’s Finance Directorate, have been placed in the Library. It can also be found on the Department’s website at:
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2007, Official Report, column 1670W, on NHS: finance, what the dates were of each meeting for which his Department holds minutes on this subject. [153487]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department's Ministers and officials regularly discuss a wide range of issues with their counterparts in HM Treasury. As was the case in previous Administrations, it is not the practice of the Government to provide details of all such meetings.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2007, Official Report, column 1670W, on NHS: finance, what form these records take other than minutes of meetings. [153488]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department holds records of correspondence between the Department and HM Treasury.
NHS: Greater London
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many London hospitals that have completed or committed to private finance initiative (PFI) contracts may be affected by the Darzi proposals to reorganise NHS services in London; and what estimate he has made of the potential level of PFI debt that may fall back on to the (a) Exchequer and (b) NHS in the event of closure. [152400]
Mr. Bradshaw: Changes in services are a matter for the local national health service. Specific proposals as a result of the Darzi review have not yet emerged.
Under a private finance initiative contract, trusts may terminate the contract with notice at any time, without having to prove right and regardless of any prejudice to the private sector. In these circumstances, compensation would be payable to the contractor on a trust default basis aiming to put the contractor in a position that is ‘no better, no worse’ than it would have been had the contract run for its full length. A value for money case for exercising this option must be made. To date no estimates have been made by the Department on the termination liabilities of any PFI scheme, costs which would be met by the individual trust involved.
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