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17 Mar 2008 : Column 760W—continued
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what budget allocations were made to each primary care trust in England in respect of each main category condition and disease for the last three years for which figures are available. [194180]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 14 March 2008]: Allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs) are undertaken on the basis of a weighted capitation formula to enable them to commission similar levels of health services for populations in similar need. Separate allocations are not made for each disease category.
Annual data estimating actual primary care trust level expenditure by disease are collected in the form of programme budgeting returns. Tables showing PCT expenditure by programme budgeting category for the 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 financial years have been placed in the Library.
NHS: Geographical Information Systems
Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what use the NHS is making of geographical information systems to improve health care treatment in the UK. [191341]
Mr. Bradshaw: It is for individual national health service trusts to decide whether they wish to use geographical information systems to support the planning and delivery of health care services.
NHS: Surgery
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) operations and (b) diagnostic tests were carried out by the NHS in each year since 1994-95; and if he will make a statement. [192987]
Mr. Bradshaw: The number of finished consultant episodes where a procedure (and intervention in 2006-07) was in a main or secondary field for years 1994-95 to 2006-07 and the total activity for the 15 key diagnostic tests for the calendar year 2007 is shown in table 1. Information on diagnostic tests in the format requested is not available. Information on the 15 key diagnostic tests for 2007 is shown in table 2.
| Table 1: National health service hospitals, England and activity performed in the independent sector in England commissioned by English NHS | |
| Number of episodes | |
| Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, the Information Centre for health and social care. | |
| Table 2: Total activity for each of the 15 key diagnostic tests in 2007 | |
| Diagnostic test | Total activity |
North Lancashire Primary Care Trust: Finance
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much funding was available to North Lancashire Primary Care Trust to improve GP services in 2007-08; [194027]
(2) what improvements are being considered by North Lancashire Primary Care Trust to GP services in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency. [194461]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 14 March 2008]: The requested information is not held centrally. The information for improvements to general practitioner (GP) services is not available at constituency level, and primary care trust (PCT) revenue allocations are not ring-fenced.
However, North Lancashire PCT will be receiving additional investment in 2008-09 from the £250 million access fund, announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 10 October 2007, to procure two new GP practices and one GP-led health centre.
The North West Strategic Health Authority (SHA) reports that the health centre will provide a greater range of services in primary care, improve access to primary care (12 hours per day seven days per week) and target services to be most accessible to those most in need. The additional GP practices will also offer additional hours and full GP services, and could also offer additional services.
The North West SHA is managing an assurance process that oversees the procurement and delivery process for the equitable access plans for North Lancashire PCT.
Out-Patients: Waiting Lists
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients had been waiting over 13 weeks for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment on 31 January. [194598]
Mr. Bradshaw: At the end of January 2008, there were 135 patients waiting 13 weeks or over for a first consultant-led out-patient appointment following general practitioner referral.
Figures on inpatient and outpatient waiting times are routinely published on a monthly basis, a full breakdown is available on the Department's website. Figures for 31 January 2008 were published on 29 February, and are available at:
Palliative Care: Castle Point
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data are used by commissioners to determine the need for specialist palliative and neurological care in Castle Point. [193052]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including South East Essex PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care and neurological care, based on an assessment of local needs and priorities. Strategic health authorities are responsible for monitoring PCTs to ensure they are effective and efficient.
The NHS operating framework for 2007-08 asked PCTs, working with local authorities, to undertake a baseline review of their end of life care services. These will allow local commissioners to assess current services, identify gaps and obtain a much clearer view of local need, which will inform local commissioning.
Regarding neurological care, the information strategy published alongside the “National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions” outlines commissioners’ information requirements and a series of local and national actions designed to meet those needs. A copy of the Framework is available in the Library.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress has been made on implementing the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’s guidance on supportive and palliative care in NHS services in Castle Point. [193053]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including South East Essex PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care, based on assessments of local needs and priorities. The NHS has been required to set out action plans to achieve compliance with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations on supportive and palliative care. Implementation is being monitored by strategic health authorities (SHAs).
Information on the rate of progress locally can be obtained through the East of England SHA.
Patients
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were receiving inpatient treatment on 31 January (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007 and (d) 2008. [194596]
Mr. Bradshaw: The figures are shown in the following table.
| In -p atient waiting lists—January 2005 to January 2008, England | ||
| As at 31 January each year | Provider based | Commissioner based |
Figures on in-patient and out-patient waiting times are routinely published on a monthly basis, a full breakdown is available on the Department's website. Figures for 31 January 2008 were published on 29 February, and are available at:
Pharmacy: Opening Hours
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to suspend section 13 of the 2005 regulations governing the criteria for granting applications for pharmacies opening for 100 hours a week until after the publication of the results of the review of pharmacy services. [193717]
Dawn Primarolo: We have no plans to do so. We will set out our intentions for the future provision of pharmacy services in the forthcoming Pharmacy White Paper.
Surgery
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects of separating emergency surgery from elective surgery; and what the evidential basis is for this assessment. [192732]
Mr. Bradshaw: It is generally recognised that there are benefits from separating emergency surgery from elective surgery which can include fewer cancellations, more efficient use of theatres and the ability to plan operations. In addition, since pressure in acute hospital beds and wards is relieved, they can also help to speed up treatment for patients admitted to emergency care.
Torbay Hospital: Waiting Lists
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for (a) in-patient, (b) day cases and (c) out-patient appointments in Torbay hospital in each year since 1992. [192265]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested is not held in the format requested. Information is held for national health service hospital trusts. Therefore, information has been provided in the following table for south Devon healthcare NHS foundation trust which includes Torbay district general hospital.
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