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13 Nov 2007 : Column 188W—continued
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many GPs have received specialist training on chronic fatigue syndrome; [163142]
(2) what the average number of GP visits made by patients was before being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome over the last five years; [163143]
(3) what steps his Department is taking to develop statistical and qualitative data on the life experiences and employment histories of people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome; [163144]
(4) how many specialist care and treatment facilities for chronic fatigue syndrome are provided by the NHS in each region. [163145]
Ann Keen: Information on the number of general practitioners (GPs) who have received specialist training for chronic fatigue syndrome is not collected.
Information on the average number of GP visits made by patients before being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome is not collected.
We have no plans to develop such statistical and qualitative data.
The number of specialist care and treatment facilities for chronic fatigue syndrome is not collected centrally.
Children: Abuse
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish guidelines on therapeutic and preventative interventions to be made available for children who have (a) been abused and (b) abused others. [163158]
Ann Keen [holding answer 12 November 2007]: The joint Department of Health and National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) Victims of Violence and Abuse Prevention programme (Vrapp) are developing National Service Guidelines on therapeutic and preventive interventions for—child victims of domestic violence;
child victims of sexual abuse; and
children who have been exploited through prostitution pornography and trafficking.
The Vrapp National Service Guidelines will also include therapeutic and preventive interventions for:
young people who sexually abuse; and
young people who are perpetrators of domestic violence.
These guidelines are based on research that has been conducted and reviewed by the Vrapp programme and will be published by April 2008.
Dental Services: Conditions of Employment
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish the conclusions of the review of the outcome of the first year of operation of the new dentists' contracts. [163174]
Ann Keen [holding answer 12 November 2007]: The Department published its report on the first year of the dental reforms on 7 August 2007. The report ‘NHS Dental Reforms: One year on’ is available in the Library, and is also available at:
Departmental Bodies
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all task forces and steering groups being run by his Department. [162251]
Mr. Bradshaw: In a survey carried out in autumn 2006, the Department identified over 200 working groups, which engaged stakeholders in working with the Department on policy, strategy and delivery. Such working groups, including task forces and steering groups are set up by the Department’s policy sections as needed and disbanded when no longer required.
Departmental Policy
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the presentation entitled Policy Costing Overview given at the Financial Management and Steering Group meeting on 23 March, (a) where the areas of good practice on policy costing that already existed were and (b) which areas were identified at this stage in which policy makers needed additional help to improve their forecasting of financial impacts. [162244]
Mr. Bradshaw: The areas of good practice in policy costing and areas where additional help was needed have varied across the Department. The Policy Costing Handbook has sought to raise the consistency and standard.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s Policy Appraisal and Health document, dated November 2004. [162772]
Mr. Bradshaw: A copy of the Department’s Policy Appraisal and Health Document dated November 2004 has been placed in the Library. The document can also be found at the following website:
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the presentation entitled Policy Costing Overview given at the Financial Management and Steering Group meeting on 23 March, what independent financial challenge function existed within his Department prior to this date. [162827]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Revenue Investment Branch was formed in April 2006 to provide an independent revenue challenge function through a dedicated team.
Departmental Restructuring
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action points his Department intends to adopt to address the seven challenges identified as part of the Department’s restructuring exercise given at the presentation to the Financial Management and Reporting Steering Group meeting on 23 March 2007; [162760]
(2) with reference to the presentation entitled Policy Costing Overview given at the Financial Management and Steering Group meeting on 23 March, what steps his Department has taken to make progress in each of the six areas identified as improvement objectives; what specific problems had been identified in each of these six areas; and how he is monitoring the progress made in each of these six areas. [162826]
Mr. Bradshaw: Action was taken during 2006 on the seven challenges identified in January 2006 in the Department’s restructuring exercise. This was summarised in chapter 11 of the Department’s departmental report 2007 and included:
development of the new Policy and Strategy Directorate;
action to strengthen the challenge role of finance, including appointments to new posts of group and business finance controllers in support of the Director General, Finance and Investment;
creation of new Directorates for Commissioning and for Provider Development;
appointment of a Director General for Social Care, to lead a new directorate;
expanded membership for the Departmental Management Board (DMB), and development of a new structure of board committees, to strengthen corporate governance; and
new and stronger corporate support arrangements for the Department, based on a business partnering model.
Further changes to the Department’s top structure have been made in 2007 consequent on the decision to split the Department’s permanent secretary and NHS chief executive roles and to clarify lines of accountability and responsibility. Action on the six areas for business improvement identified in 2006-07 continued into 2007-08, as set out in the Department’s business plan published in March 2007.
The Department’s recent capability review has highlighted the areas that need further attention. The Department has set out its action plan, including timed deliverables and metrics, in the development plan published by the permanent secretary in September 2007. The departmental board will monitor progress against the plan, and will keep Ministers informed.
Departments: Official Hospitality
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will break down the figures referred to in the answer of 25 October 2007, Official Report, column 550W, on Departments: official hospitality, to give the amounts spent on each function at which hospitality expenses were incurred. [162190]
Mr. Bradshaw: This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Diabetes: Eastern Region
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were diagnosed with diabetes in (a) the East of England and (b) Suffolk in each of the last five years. [162596]
Ann Keen: Information is not available in the format requested. The following table shows data on the numbers of patients on diabetes registers in general practices available from the Quality and Outcomes Framework data but only for the financial years 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07.
Doctors: Careers Structure
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether any changes have been made to the (a) terms and (b) value of the Medical Training Application Service contract with Methods Consulting Ltd in light of the alterations to the scope of the project since the security breaches earlier in 2007; and whether any compensation has been paid by Methods Consulting Ltd in respect of breach of contract conditions; [163172]
(2) what the cost has been of the Medical Training Application System, including (a) its implementation, (b) the remedial action taken and (c) the reviews which were commissioned on the matter; and if he will make a statement. [163173]
Ann Keen [holding answer 12 November 2007]: The total cost of the Medical Training Application System (MTAS), including set up, was £1.9 million in 2006-07. The estimated cost of the system over five years is £6.3 million.
There is a continuing and ongoing need for this service. For instance, it is being used by Deaneries to track offers. The supplier has made appropriate changes to the security arrangements at their own expense.
The Modernising Medical Careers team has worked closely with the MTAS suppliers, Methods, to ensure that previous problems have been appropriately managed.
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