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13 Nov 2007 : Column 176W—continued
Health
NHS Dentistry
10. Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the current level of access to NHS dentistry. [162939]
Ann Keen: The most recent access data are for the two-year period ending in March 2007. These data show that around 28 million people accessed NHS dental services at least once during this period. This is the same as the number who accessed services in the two years ending March 2006. We are committed to widening access to NHS dentistry, and will look to Primary Care Trusts to do this as part of their role as commissioners of health services.
15. Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the level of access to NHS dentistry. [162944]
Ann Keen: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier.
18. Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the level of access to NHS dentistry. [162947]
Ann Keen: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier.
19. Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve access to NHS dentistry. [162948]
Ann Keen: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier.
24. Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on access to NHS dentistry. [162953]
Ann Keen: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier.
Emergency Treatment
11. Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that patients requiring emergency care are taken to the nearest accident and emergency department. [162940]
Mr. Bradshaw:
High quality, safe emergency care needs to deliver appropriate, timely care in the most appropriate setting. Patients are not always taken to the nearest accident and emergency department. Some
may be treated at the scene, some taken to minor injury units or walk-in centres, and others may be taken directly to specialist units at other hospitals, receiving care on the way.
Health Spending
12. Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage change has been in health spending between 1996-97 and 2007; and what the percentage change in consultant finished case episodes has been over that period. [162941]
Mr. Bradshaw: Spending on the national health service rose by 91 per cent. in real terms between 1996-97 and 2007-08. The growth in finished consultant episodes over the same period was 31 per cent. (tbc).
NHS Trusts
13. Dr. Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to NHS trusts on the material and literature they make available to patients on their premises; and if he will make a statement. [162942]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Patient information is central to the overall quality of each patient’s experience.
The Department has issued guidance to national health service trusts outlining good practice in the development of patient information.
However, information available to patients is the responsibility of local national health service organisations.
GP Service Provision
14. Mr. Mackay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had on out-of-hours GP service provision. [162943]
Mr. Bradshaw: None, but my officials regularly meet with a group of out-of-hours providers brought together by the NHS Alliance.
Maternity Services
16. Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to recruit more midwives; and if he will make a statement. [162945]
Ann Keen: This year NHS organisations have been required to review maternity services, including an assessment of their workforce capacity. We expect some to identify the need to recruit additional midwives and a range of mechanisms are in place to support local recruitment, for example to enable midwives who are not practising to return to work in maternity services.
Sevenoaks Hospital
17. Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the beds closed at Sevenoaks Hospital to be re-opened. [162946]
Dawn Primarolo: The South East Coast Strategic Health Authority report that the West Kent Primary Care Trust intends to reopen the beds at Sevenoaks Hospital in a phased manner over the next 12 to 18 months.
Primary Care Trusts
20. Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of primary care trusts that have fully implemented all National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines. [162949]
Dawn Primarolo: Performance in implementing National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) technology appraisals and clinical guidelines is included within the scope of the Healthcare Commission’s Annual Health Check. The 2006-07 annual health check self-assessments, which have been subject to targeted and random inspections by the Healthcare Commission, show that 89 per cent. of national health service organisations assess themselves as conforming with NICE's technology appraisal guidance. 90 per cent. of national health service trusts have assessed themselves as making excellent, good or fair progress towards implementing NICE's clinical guidelines.
“Our NHS, Our Future” Initiative
21. Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the implications for Greater London of the interim report arising from the “Our NHS, Our Future” initiative. [162950]
Mr. Bradshaw: Primary care trusts in London have begun consultation on the vision set out in Lord Darzi’s July report to NHS London which he made before he was appointed a Minister. The interim report of the NHS next stage review, published in October, begins to articulate an overarching vision for the future of the NHS across England, based on world-class quality services that are fair, personalised, effective and safe.
25. Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the interim report arising from “Our NHS, Our Future”. [162954]
Ann Keen: I refer the hon. Member to the Secretary of State’s statement of 10 October.
Drug Misuse
22. Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the level of misuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. [162951]
Dawn Primarolo:
It is recognised that the misuse of both prescription and over the counter medicines is under reported and, as such, it is difficult to assess the scale of the problem. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) uses a variety of methods of collecting information on the safety of both prescription and over the counter medicines including concerns about misuse. In light of evidence of misuse, the MHRA has taken regulatory action for a
number of medicines including paracetamol, codeine, co-proxamol and pseudoephedrine/ephedrine.
Horton General Hospital
23. Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he next expects to visit the Horton general hospital in Banbury. [162952]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: There are currently no plans by Ministers at the Department to visit Horton general hospital. However, invitations are considered on a case by case basis and depend upon diary pressures and parliamentary business. Therefore, if the hon. Member wishes to, he may send a formal request to Ministers.
Breast Cancer
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government have taken to reduce deaths caused by breast cancer since 1997. [164029]
Ann Keen: We have taken a number of steps to reduce deaths from breast cancer specifically.
Working in partnership, with Cancer Research UK, we produce the “Be Breast Aware” leaflet, advising women on the importance on being breast aware and knowing what signs or changes to look out for. Over a million copies of this leaflet are produced each year.
In September 2000 we published the NHS Cancer Plan, which introduced a number of targets and initiatives aimed specifically at breast cancer. These were:
the introduction of two-view mammography to improve detection rates,
extension of the screening age range to include women aged up to 70,
that there should be a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment for breast cancer and a maximum two month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to treatment for breast cancer, and
a review of the Department’s improving outcomes in breast cancer guidance by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
As well as updating the breast cancer guidance in August 2002, NICE has produced clinical guidelines for familial breast cancer and has issued appraisals on nine drugs to treat breast cancer, more than for any other cancer type, and is currently appraising a further two drugs.
We have also provided Section 64 funding to a number of breast cancer charities to improve awareness of breast cancer.
We are currently developing the Cancer Reform Strategy, which will set out the future direction of cancer services in England. We aim to publish by the end of the year.
In September, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister announced proposals for cancer services including extending the breast cancer screening age range to women aged between 43 and 73 and a guaranteed appointment with a specialist within two weeks of referral for all patients with breast problems, not just those with suspected cancer.
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