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20 Feb 2008 : Column 801W—continued
Based on this code the number of finished hospital admissions episodes in 2006-07, the last year for which figures are available, is 68.
Note:
As these data are for admissions to hospital where it is identified that the patient had a condition of poisoning by androgens and anabolic congeners they do not represent any information about the longer term conditions of the effects of abuse of anabolic steroids.
Source:
Hospital episodes Statistics—The Information Centre for health and social care.
Autism
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adults are diagnosed as having autism. [187265]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: This information is not held centrally.
British Pregnancy Advisory Service
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports his Department has made on the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement. [186242]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department published “An investigation into the British Pregnancy Advisory Service response to requests for late abortions: A report by the chief medical officer” in 2005. No other reports on the organisation have been produced by the Department.
British Pregnancy Advisory Service: Abortion
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the National Health Service paid to the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in each region to undertake abortions in each of the last four years for which figures are available. [186250]
Dawn Primarolo: This information is not collected centrally.
Cherry Knowle Hospital
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of the Cherry Knowle hospital, Ryhope, Sunderland. [187074]
Ann Keen: Part of the Cherry Knowle hospital site is included in a portfolio of properties that it was agreed would transfer from the ownership of the Secretary of State for Health to English Partnerships to assist the Government’s Sustainable Communities programme. It will be for English Partnerships, in consultation with the local planning authority, to determine the future development of this part of the site. The remainder of the site is intended to be developed by the national health service locally to provide new health care facilities.
Dental Services: Essex
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were (a) seeking to be registered with and (b) on waiting lists for an NHS dentist in Essex in each of the last five years. [185316]
Ann Keen: The information requested is not collected centrally. It is for local national health service organisations to determine how best to manage patients seeking NHS dental services.
Under the old contractual arrangements, which were in place until 31 March 2006, patients had to register with an individual dentist. Under the new contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006, patients do not have to be registered with an NHS dentist to receive NHS care.
Dental Services: Standards
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to (a) issue guidance and (b) propose regulations on tooth whitening (i) procedures and (ii) practitioner professional standards; and if he will make a statement. [184326]
Ann Keen: In 2001, as a result of action by the manufacturer and distributor of a tooth whitening product, the House of Lords made a judgment that the Government had the right to consider tooth whitening products as falling under the EC Directive on Cosmetic Products(76/768/EEC) and therefore within the terms of the Cosmetics (Safety) Regulations.
Currently the Schedules to the Cosmetics (Safety) Regulations restrict the permitted percentage of hydrogen peroxide present or released in cosmetic products used in the mouth to 0.1 per cent. but we understand that the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products has given its opinion to the European Commission that the permitted limit may, subject to prescribed conditions, be increased to 6 per cent. We are awaiting the Commission's response to this advice.
The General Dental Council (GDC), which is independent of Government, is responsible for the professional standards of dentists and dental care professionals. We understand that the GDC considers that tooth whitening constitutes the practice of dentistry. Any registrant who undertakes work for which they are not sufficiently competent risks fitness to practice proceedings.
Diabetes: Children
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were diagnosed with (a) type 2 diabetes and (b) non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in each year since 1997. [184524]
Ann Keen: Data on the numbers of children diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are not available in the format requested. Estimates of the number of children with Type 2 diabetes vary, but in the United Kingdom it has been suggested that it may be around 1,000.
Data are not available on the numbers of children diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The following table gives the number of patients, aged 0 to 17, admitted to hospital in each year since 1997 with a diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver.
| All Diagnoses: Non-alcoholic fatty liver count of patients ages 0-17, NHS hospitals 1997-08 to 2006- 0 7 in England | |
| Number | |
| Note: Diagnosis code: K76.0 -fatty (change of) liver, not elsewhere classified. Source: Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) 1997-2007, Information Centre for Health and Social Care Information Centre. These figures represent a count of all patients with finished consultant episodes (FCEs) within each HES data year, where the diagnosis was mentioned in any of the 14 diagnosis positions (seven prior to 2002-03). An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. | |
Dietary Supplements
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nutritional support products were dispensed in the community in each year since 1997. [185574]
Dawn Primarolo: Information on prescription items dispensed in the community in England and classified by the Prescription Pricing Division of the NHS Business Services Authority as for intravenous or oral nutrition, is in the following table. This excludes minerals or vitamins prescribed on the national health service.
| Prescription items dispensed for intravenous and oral nutrition (thousand) | Net ingredient cost (£000) | |
Drugs: Advisory Services
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed full-time at the national drugs helpline in the most recent period for which figures are available. [186684]
Dawn Primarolo: The National Drugs Helpline ceased in England in March 2003 and was replaced by the FRANK helpline in April 2003.
No staff are employed exclusively to FRANK on a full-time basis. The Central Office of Information advise that a total of 74 trained advisors are shared across other helpline services relating to alcohol and drugs abuse and sexual health services. This equates to 37.5 full-time equivalent advisors given the shift patterns the service is required to fill.
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the national drugs helpline's call capacity is. [186787]
Dawn Primarolo: The National Drugs Helpline ceased in England in March 2003 and was replaced by the FRANK helpline in April 2003.
The Central Office of Information advise that FRANK can handle an average of 63 telephone calls per hour.
Electricity: Health Hazards
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he and his Ministerial colleagues have to hold discussions with stakeholders on the implementation of the Health Protection Agency’s advice to Government on the SAGE First Interim Assessment on power lines and property, wiring in homes and electrical equipment in homes; [185059]
(2) what steps have been taken since 27 November 2007 to implement the Health Protection Agency’s guidance to Government on the SAGE First Interim Assessment on power lines and property, wiring in homes and electrical equipment in homes; and if he will make a statement; [185060]
(3) what the timing of the current round of consultation on the SAGE First Interim Assessment on power lines and property, wiring in homes, and electrical equipment in homes is; and if he will make a statement; [185072]
(4) what (a) meetings and (b) other contacts there have been between officials from his Department and other Departments and devolved Administrations on the implementation of the Health Protection Agency’s guidance to Government on the SAGE First Interim Assessment on power lines and property, wiring in homes, and electrical equipment in homes; [185090]
(5) if he will take steps to reduce the exposure of children to electromagnetic radiation. [185500]
Dawn Primarolo: The Health Protection Agency (HPA) advice to Government on the “Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAGE) on Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (ELF EMF) Precautionary approaches to ELF EMFs First Interim Assessment Power Lines and Property, Wiring in Homes And Electrical Equipment in Homes” is available in the Library and also on the HPA website at:
The HPA advice supports precautionary measures that have a convincing evidence base to show that they will be successful in reducing exposure, are effective in
providing reassurance to the public, and where the overall benefits outweigh the fiscal and social costs.
Since November, officials in the key Government Departments have been in contact with agencies, industry and trade associations to seek initial views on the practicalities of implementing the SAGE recommendations in the light of HPA advice. After exchanges of correspondence, some exploratory meetings have taken place. When these initial soundings have been completed, a work plan will be drawn up for detailed consideration and discussion will be held with officials in the devolved Administrations.
Fats: Health Hazards
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the result has been of the Food Standards Agency's review of health impacts of trans fats; and if he will make a statement. [186349]
Dawn Primarolo: At its meeting in December 2007, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) board agreed that voluntary measures taken by the United Kingdom food industry to reduce levels of trans fats in foods have been successful in reducing consumer's average dietary intakes. Legislation would be therefore unlikely to deliver any further significant health benefit.
In his response to the FSA in January 2008 the Secretary of State (Alan Johnson) supported the agency's priority to reduce saturated fat intakes while maintaining the current position on trans fats.
Fluoride: Drinking Water
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health upon what criteria the recently announced funds for consultation on fluoridation of the public water supply will be allocated between health authorities. [185936]
Ann Keen: The central funds to be managed by the Department are for the capital costs of setting up a fluoridation scheme. Strategic health authorities (SHAs) would meet the costs of any consultations from their core allocations. Guidance issued by the Chief Dental Officer on 5 February advises that an SHA should take account of the oral health needs of the population it serves and the technical feasibility of fluoridating its water supply before preparing for a consultation.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which strategic health authorities have applied to his Department for support for plans to fluoridate local water supplies. [186055]
Ann Keen: None so far. The funds are for the capital cost of setting up the plant for a fluoridation scheme. Strategic health authorities would not therefore apply for funds until they had consulted on proposals for a fluoridation scheme and demonstrated that it was supported by the local population that would be affected.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish all recent research he has commissioned on the impact of fluoridation on children’s dental health. [186482]
Ann Keen: The Department has commissioned three completed research studies on fluoridation and health, “A Systematic Review of Water Fluoridation” published by the University of York in 2000, “Water Fluoridation and Health” published by the Medical Research Council in 2002 and the “Bioavailability of Fluoride in Drinking Water: a Human Experimental Study in 2005” published by the University of Newcastle in 2004. The Department is also funding a further project on the use of fluorescent imaging to develop objective and quantitative measures of enamel fluorosis, which is currently in progress.
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