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22 May 2008 : Column 494W—continued
NHS: Public Participation
Mr. Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet members of the National Association of LINks members to discuss the review of the NHS. [206246]
Ann Keen: Although the Department is not aware of a formal request from the National Association of LINks Members for a ministerial meeting, departmental officials have recently met with the chairman of the organisation to discuss a number of issues including the national health service next stage review.
NHS: Standards
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government's target waiting times for the fitting of digital hearing aids by NHS hospital trusts are; and if he will make a statement. [207350]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Patients referred to ear nose and throat (ENT) consultant-led care, who subsequently require hearing aid fitting, are covered by the target that no one should wait longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by December 2008, unless it is clinically appropriate or they choose to do so. The Department does not have a target for non consultant-led care for the fitting of hearing aids.
NHS: Working hours
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) of 29 October 2007, Official Report, column 1044W, on the NHS: working hours, when (a) each pilot will conclude and (b) the report of each pilot will be published. [206649]
Ann Keen: Information has been placed in the Library, which outlines when the pilots will be completed. The pilot reports will be published shortly afterwards.
NHS National Workforce Projects were commissioned by the Department to support national health service trusts with implementation of the European working time directive for doctors in training. They recognise the need to ensure that pilot material is shared across the NHS at the earliest opportunity and share learning throughout the life of the projects.
Polyclinics
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the role the independent sector is likely to have in the provision of polyclinics. [207077]
Mr. Bradshaw: We have asked primary care trusts to undertake open and fair tendering processes to secure new general practitioner (GP)-led health centres and new GP practices in underserved areas. These services will be in addition to existing GP practices. A range of contractors will put forward tenders to be considered by each primary care trust (PCT) and the mix between independent commercial sector, independent voluntary sector, national health service bodies and independent GP contractors will vary locally. Our overriding objective is for PCTs to secure additional access and extra choice to primary medical services delivered by providers that offer the best quality and value for money to ensure patients' access to services are improved and the population's overall health improves.
Primary Care Trusts: Vacancies
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of London primary care trusts have a vacancy for the position of Director of Public Health; [197115]
(2) what proportion of London primary care trusts have a vacancy for the post of Finance Director. [197116]
Mr. Bradshaw: This requested information is not held centrally. It is for local national health service organisations to ensure they have the staff they need to provide services to their local communities.
I understand that London strategic health authority (SHA) has established a training programme to
develop senior managers, including potential future directors of public health. The hon. Member may therefore wish to raise this matter directly with the chief executive of London SHA.
Radiography
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many radiographers each primary care trust has per 100,000 people in its area; [205996]
(2) how many radiographers each primary care trust had per 100,000 people in its area in each of the last five years. [205997]
Ann Keen: The following table shows the number of radiographers each strategic health authority (SHA) had per 100,000 people in its area for 2002 to 2006 inclusive.
The number of radiographers each primary care trust has per 100,000 people is not available. Over 98 per cent. of qualified radiography staff are employed by national health service trusts, but population data are collected by primary care trust (PCT). However, PCT population data cannot be accurately mapped to NHS trust areas, so the nearest available comparable data are by SHA area. Also, 2007 population data are not yet available so for the sake of comparability the table is for the years 2002-06.
| NHS Hospital and Community Health Services: Qualified radiography staff in England by SHA area per 100,000 population as at 30 September each specified year | |||||
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
| Note: Figures are calculated on the headcount number of radiography staff. Sources: The Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census Mid year Population Estimate (2001 Census Based), Office for National Statistics | |||||
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