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28 Nov 2007 : Column 558W—continued
HIV Infection: Drugs
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many HIV/AIDS drug patents are held by British companies. [162203]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
There are 125 patents for different HIV/AIDS drugs held by UK based companies. These include subsidiaries of foreign companies which have a corporate address in the United Kingdom.
Incontinence: Medical Equipment
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) for what reason his Department proposes to decrease the number of sub-categories within the classification system for Part IX of the drug tariff; what account was taken of the balance of responses to the Department’s recent consultation on the subject; and if he will make a statement; [164554]
(2) what the cost of the two year consultation relating to Part IX of the Drug Tariff was; and what the cost was of Deloitte and Touche’s fees for work on the consultation. [164616]
Mr. Bradshaw: The current listing of stoma and incontinence appliances in part IX of the Drug Tariff is very broad.
The November 2006 consultation set out proposals which classified the 5,000 plus stoma and incontinence items into 288 sub-categories of appliances deemed by healthcare professionals to meet similar medical need.
Responses were reviewed by representatives from the original group of healthcare professionals and a wider group. This allowed two groups of specialists to be set up: one to review urology items and one to review stoma. As part of the review process, the panels again considered whether items met similar medical need—and product features such as size and material.
Based on the recommendations from these healthcare professionals, the Department now proposes that there should be 228 sub-categories of items as opposed to the 288 that were consulted on in November 2006.
The cost of the review is part of the Department’s ongoing operational budget. Deloitte are acting as advisors to the Department on this review. The contract between the Department and its adviser is an ongoing arrangement set up within the parameters of public sector procurement and is commercial in confidence.
Influenza: Vaccination
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) courses of antivirals and (b) doses of A/H5N1 vaccine were used for the prophylaxis of those potentially exposed to avian influenza infection in the (i) Essex A/H5N1 quarantine incident in 2005, (ii) the Fife A/H5N1 incident in 2006, (iii) the Norfolk A/H7N3 incident in 2006, (iv) the Suffolk A/H5N1 incident in 2007, (v) the North Wales A/H7N2 incident in 2007 and (vi) the Norfolk A/H5N1 incident in 2007; and what the average dosage was per person. [166437]
Dawn Primarolo: The following table shows, for each outbreak, the number of people to whom courses of the antiviral oseltamivir (tamiflu) were administered. The standard course for prophylactic treatment with oseltamivir is 75 mgs once a day for ten days. In the outbreaks of avian flu, a range of dose regimes was used as follows:
the adult treatment dose is 75 mg twice a day for five days;
the adult prophylactic dose (post exposure) 75 mg per day for 10 days;
the adult prophylaxis dose (pre-exposure) 75 mg per day for up to 42 days (throughout period of exposure and continued until seven days after exposure); and
the dose for children depends on the weight of the child.
A/H5N1 vaccine is not used for outbreaks of avian flu. Our stockpile of vaccine is currently reserved for possible use in a human influenza pandemic.
This corrects the information given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Alan Johnson) on 22 November 2007, Official Report, column 1357.
Maidstone Hospital: Clostridium
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the performance of the relevant strategic health authority in relation to each outbreak of clostridium difficile at Maidstone hospital. [168634]
Ann Keen [holding answer 27 November 2007]: The Healthcare Commission report of their Investigation into outbreaks of clostridium difficile at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust included an assessment of the role of the south east coast strategic health authority (SHA). It included no specific recommendations for the SHA.
Mental Health Services: Warley
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to relocate the mental health unit at Mascalls Park, Warley to Romford. [167440]
Mr. Bradshaw: Any proposals for the reconfiguration of services are a matter for the national health service locally. As such, North East London Mental Health Trust (NELMHT) has recently conducted a full public consultation on the future of mental health services across the four boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, and Waltham Forest.
The consultation began on 27 July and ended 19 October 2007, and we are informed that one of the key points for consultation was the future of in-patient mental health services for patients from Barking and Dagenham, and Havering, which are currently located at Mascalls Park hospital, Brentwood. The trust board will discuss the outcome of the consultation at its meeting on 27 November 2007.
Mid Essex Primary Care Trust: Bowel Cancer
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the national bowel cancer screening programme will be implemented in the Mid Essex Primary Care Trust area; and if he will make a statement. [166245]
Ann Keen [holding answer 26 November 2007]: The NHS bowel cancer screening programme is one of the first national bowel screening programmes in the world, and the first cancer screening programme in England to invite men as well as women. It is an ambitious project, and full national roll-out is expected by December 2009.
Work in the Mid Essex Primary Care Trust area is currently ongoing and we expect implementation to be achieved by mid to late 2008. The provision of local health services is the responsibility of the local national health service organisations in conjunction with their strategic health authorities.
Midwives: Pay
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on midwives’ salaries. [167695]
Ann Keen [holding answer 26 November 2007]: The Government have now submitted their evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body for the pay uplift from April 2008. This review body covers all Agenda for Change staff including midwives. It is for the review body to now consider all the issues including evidence from the unions before making their recommendations. It is not appropriate to speculate at this time what they may recommend.
Our recommendations (2 per cent. rise in headline pay for staff) are in line with the Government’s public sector pay policy to ensure economic stability. We are seeking a fair award reflecting the balance between the right level of pay and the need to be vigilant against the threats of inflation.
Milton Keynes Hospital: Cleaning Services
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many different areas of Milton Keynes hospital have been identified as requiring a deep clean; [167586]
(2) what decant area has been identified at Milton Keynes hospital to facilitate the proposed deep clean; [167587]
(3) what the estimated cost is to deep clean each area of Milton Keynes hospital proposed for a deep clean. [167588]
Ann Keen
[holding answer 26 November 2007]: As the Prime Minister made clear, deep cleaning will occur in all hospitals, starting this winter, with resources allocated through the strategic health authorities (SHAs). Each trust’s deep-clean plan will vary according to local need. Trusts will agree costed deep clean plans with their lead commissioners and SHA, who will monitor performance against this plan, as per normal performance management arrangements. Foundation trusts will also be invited to agree plans and funding for additional
deep cleaning with local commissioners, together with local arrangements for checking the agreed work has been carried out. SHAs will take an overview as to progress across their area and will report to the Department.
Information on plans of individual trusts is therefore not routinely collected by the Department.
Monitor
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what mechanisms Monitor is held accountable to Parliament. [168570]
Mr. Bradshaw: As set out in the National Health Service Act 2006, Monitor is held accountable to Parliament via the following mechanisms:
the regulator must prepare an annual report on how it has exercised its functions during the year. The regulator must lay a copy of the report before Parliament;
the regulator must in respect of each financial year prepare a report which provides an overall summary of the accounts of NHS Foundation Trusts. The regulator must lay a copy of the report before Parliament;
the regulator must respond in writing to any recommendation which:
is made by a Committee of either House of Parliament, or a Committee of both Houses; and
relates to the exercise by the regulator of its functions.
In addition, the regulator must exercise its functions effectively, efficiently and economically.
As the designated accounting officer of Monitor, the chairman is responsible to Parliament for all resources under his control. In his capacity as accounting officer he may be called upon to appear before the Public Accounts Committee.
NHS Blood and Transplant: Schools
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the reasons were for setting the target for the number of schools participating in UK Transplant’s Give and Let Live donor education programme for 2007-08 at 1,090; [167048]
(2) which schools have agreed to participate in UK Transplant’s Give and Let Live donor education programme, broken down by local education authority; [167049]
(3) how much has been allocated to UK Transplant’s Give and Let Live donor education programme for (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10. [167050]
Ann Keen [holding answers 22 November 2007]: The target number of schools participating in the Give and Let Live donor education programme represents the 30 per cent. target that NHS blood and transplant (NHS BT) is aiming for. This 30 per cent. target was arrived at following professional advice and is considered challenging but realistic.
Details of the schools participating in the programme are held within NHS BT, in accordance with the data management statement produced in conjunction with the schools involved.
To date, approximately £260,000 has been spent on the project (2006-07 and 2007-08), which included
additional set-up costs. A further £100,000 has been allocated for 2008-09. Budgets have yet to be set for 2009-10.
NHS Direct
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the level of compliance amongst callers to NHS Direct with the advice they receive. [166445]
Mr. Bradshaw: Information on this is not held centrally but may be available from the Chairman of NHS Direct NHS Trust.
NHS Treatment Centres: Private Sector
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many independent sector treatment centres (ISTCs) are (a) in operation, (b) under construction and (c) planned; how much has been spent on establishing ISTCs; how much is planned to be spent in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10; and what plans the Government have for the future of the ISTC programme; [167941]
(2) what funds have been allocated to compensate contractors involved in the provision of independent sector treatment centres for proposed treatment centres which will now not proceed. [167942]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 26 November 2007]: There are 23 fixed site wave 1 independent sector treatment centres (ISTCs) in operation and six walk-in centres with a commuter focus. There is also a mobile ophthalmology service, a mobile MRI scanning service and a chlamydia screening service in Greater London for 16 to 24-year-olds. Five phase 2 ISTC schemes are operational, three offering elective procedures and two offering diagnostics. This includes the West Midlands diagnostics scheme which will stop providing services in February 2008. Through phase 2, services are currently being delivered through 103 fixed and mobile sites (including interim site solutions) and it is expected that an additional 13 sites will come on-stream in the coming months.
Three phase 2 schemes have been approved to move to financial close and a further seven are in procurement. Services are expected to be delivered from a number of sites, which provide greater accessibility for patients, through phase 2 schemes in procurement. As part of the mobilisation process, through wave one there are two ISTC sites and through phase 2 there are three ISTC sites which are currently under construction.
At the end of October 2007, the cost of the procurement of wave 1 and phase 2 was approximately £157 million including all assessment, scoping, procurement and associated management, professional advisory and support costs. This figure includes the cost incurred during 2007-08 (to date) of £11 million.
The Department will conclude decisions on the remaining schemes by the end of March 2008. At this stage, in terms of year by year spend in establishing (procuring, mobilising and managing) the phase 2 ISTCs schemes in procurement, it is not possible to break down the costs further, as budgets have not been agreed for coming years.
The Department will work with preferred bidders in a systematic way to consider any compensation claims that may be brought on a case by case basis, with regard to withdrawn schemes. No specific funds are allocated for this, however, the overall budget does include general contingencies for unforeseen events.
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