Previous Section Index Home Page

26 Jun 2008 : Column 508W—continued


26 Jun 2008 : Column 509W

Drugs: Misuse

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital admissions where the primary or secondary diagnosis was drug-related there were in Suffolk in each of the last five years, broken down by age. [209392]

Dawn Primarolo: The following table shows total admissions to hospital in which the primary or secondary diagnosis of the patient was drug related in Suffolk, broken down by age, for 2002-03 to 2006-07.

Admissions are classified using the International Classifications of Diseases (ICD) 10 codes. A “drug” can be defined as any substance that alters normal bodily function. Therefore codes relating to noxious substances and solvents have been included in this data. It is not possible to identify in ICD-10 all diseases caused by drugs (legal or illegal) and there is no way to guarantee that the admission was drug related. For example, a patient admitted for inguinal hernia surgery may also be dependent on a drug.


26 Jun 2008 : Column 510W

26 Jun 2008 : Column 511W
Year (of end of first period of care in patient's hospital stay)

Age

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07

Under 15

144

178

221

164

137

15 to 64

1,406

1,732

1,514

1,564

1,559

65+

399

489

529

579

606

Unknown

1

Notes: 1. Suffolk primary care trust (PCT): In 2006, Suffolk PCT was formed from four former PCTs: Suffolk Coastal PCT, Ipswich PCT, Central Suffolk PCT, Suffolk West PCT. 2. Finished admission episodes (FAEs): A FAE is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 3. Data quality: HES are compiled from data sent by over 300 national health service trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. Whilst this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. 4. Assessing growth through time: HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. During the years that these records have been collected by the NHS there have been ongoing improvements in quality and coverage. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time. 5. All Diagnoses count of episodes—primary and secondary—“drug related”: These figures represent a count of all FAEs where the diagnosis was mentioned in any of the 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in a HES record. 6. ICD 10 Codes included in this data:Code F55 relates to the abuse of non-dependence-producing substances.
Codes K71.0 through to K71.9 relate to toxic liver disease with cholestasis, with hepatic necrosis, with acute hepatitis, with chronic persistent hepatitis, with chronic lobular hepatitis, with chronic active hepatitis, with hepatitis not elsewhere classified, with fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver, with other disorders of liver, and with unspecified conditions. Codes T36 through to T65 relate to poisoning, such as poisoning by systemic antibiotics, other systemic anti-infectives and antiparasitics, hormones and their synthetic substitutes and antagonists not elsewhere classified, by nonopioid analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics, narcotics and psychodysleptics [hallucinogens], anaesthetics and therapeutic gases, antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic and antiparkinsonism drugs, psychotropic drugs not elsewhere classified, psychotropic drugs not elsewhere classified, psychotropic drugs not elsewhere classified, drugs primarily affecting the autonomic nervous system, primarily systemic and haematological agents, not elsewhere classified, agents primarily affecting the cardiovascular system, agents primarily affecting the gastrointestinal system, agents primarily acting on smooth and skeletal muscles and the respiratory system, topical agents primarily affecting skin and mucous membrane and by ophthalmological, otorhinolaryngological and dental drugs, diuretics and other and unspecified drugs, medicaments and biological substances, toxic effect of organic solvents, toxic effect of halogen derivatives of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, toxic effect of corrosive substances, toxic effect of soaps and detergents, toxic effect of metals, toxic effect of other inorganic substances, toxic effect of carbon monoxide, toxic effect of other gases, fumes and vapours, toxic effect of pesticides, toxic effect of noxious substances eaten as seafood, toxic effect of other noxious substances eaten as food, toxic effect of contact with venomous animals, toxic effect of aflatoxin and other mycotoxin food contaminants, toxic effect of other and unspecified substances. Codes X40 through to X49 relate to accidental poisoning by and exposure to nonopioid analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics, to antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic, antiparkinsonism and psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified, narcotics and psychodysleptics [hallucinogens] not elsewhere classified, other drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system, other and unspecified drugs, medicaments and biological substances, organic solvents and halogenated hydrocarbons and their vapours, other gases and vapours, exposure to pesticides, other and unspecified chemicals and noxious substances. Codes X60 through to X69 relate to intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to nonopioid analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics, antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic, antiparkinsonism and psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified, narcotics and psychodysleptics [hallucinogens], not elsewhere classified, other drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system, other and unspecified drugs, medicaments and biological substances, organic solvents and halogenated hydrocarbons and their vapours, exposure to pesticides, other and unspecified chemicals and noxious substances. Codes Y40 through to Y59 relate to systemic antibiotics, other systemic anti-infectives and antiparasitics, hormones and their synthetic substitutes and antagonists not elsewhere classified, primarily systemic agents, agents primarily affecting blood constituents, analgesics, antipyretics and anti-inflammatory drugs, antiepileptic and antiparkinsonism drugs, sedatives, hypnotics and antianxiety drugs, anaesthetics and therapeutic gases, psychotropic drugs not elsewhere classified, central nervous system stimulants, not elsewhere classified, drugs primarily affecting the autonomic nervous system, agents primarily affecting the cardiovascular system, agents primarily affecting the gastrointestinal system, agents primarily affecting water-balance and mineral and uric acid metabolism, agents primarily acting on smooth and skeletal muscles and the respiratory system, topical agents primarily affecting skin and mucous membrane and ophthalmological, otorhinolaryngological and dental drugs, other and unspecified drugs and medicaments, Bacterial vaccines and Other and specified vaccines and biological substances. Codes T80 through to T80.9 relate to air embolism following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection, vascular complications following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection, infections following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection, other complications following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection, unspecified complication following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection.
Codes T88.0 through to T88.7 relate to injection following immunization, other complications following immunization, not elsewhere classified, shock due to anaesthesia, malignant hyperthermia due to anaesthesia, other complications of anaesthesia, anaphylactic shock due to adverse effect of correct drug or medicament properly administered, unspecified adverse effect of drug or medicament. Code Z71.5 relates to drug abuse counselling and surveillance. Code T96.X through to Code T97.X relate to sequelae of poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances and sequelae of toxic effects of substances chiefly nonmedicinal as to source. Code Z50.3 relates to drug rehabilitation. 7. Ungrossed Data: Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed). Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care.

Fluoride: Drinking Water

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will ensure that strategic health authorities are required to consult members of the public before artificial fluoride is added to public drinking water; [213635]

(2) what plans he has for consulting the public prior to introducing fluoride into public water supply. [213636]

Ann Keen: Section 3(1) of “The Water Fluoridation (Consultation) (England) Regulations 2005”, states that, in order to consult and ascertain opinion on proposals for fluoridation schemes, strategic health authorities (SHAs) should publish details of the proposals in one or more newspapers circulating within the area to which the proposals relate, and in such other media accessible within that area as the SHAs consider appropriate. For the purpose of bringing the proposals to the attention of people who would be affected and bodies with an interest. It is therefore for the SHAs to decide whether to undertake consultations.

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he makes funds available to national groups who disseminate information (a) in favour of and (b) against water fluoridation. [213637]

Ann Keen: In 2008-09, the only grant the Department has made is one of £129,000 to the National Fluoride Information Centre, which provides evidence based scientific information on research studies carried out into the effect of adding fluoride to water and other mediums such as milk and table salt.

Foetuses: Surgery

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals perform in-utero surgery; and if he will make a statement. [212443]

Ann Keen: Information is not available in the format requested. The table shows the number of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) for surgical operations performed on a foetus by hospital trust in England in 2006-07.


26 Jun 2008 : Column 512W

FCEs

United Bristol Healthcare National Health Service Trust

33

Harrogate and District National Health Service Foundation Trust

*

Ipswich Hospital National Health Service Trust

*

Southampton University Hospitals National Health Service Trust

27

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust

19

King’s College Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust

*

Birmingham Women’s Health Care National Health Service Trust

37

Hammersmith Hospitals National Health Service Trust

12

Leeds Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Trust

8

Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals National Health Service Trust

29

Central Manchester and Manchester Children’s University Hospital

*

Nottingham University Hospitals National Health Service Trust

18

County Durham and Darlington National Health Service Foundation Trust

*

Total

191

Notes:
1. Data quality
Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS trusts, and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data is also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.
2. FCE
A FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.
3. All operations count of episodes
These figures represent a count of all FCE’s where the procedure was mentioned in any of the 12 (four prior to 2002-03) operation fields in a HES record. A record is only included once in each count, even if an operation is mentioned in more than one operation field of the record.
4. Low numbers
Due to reasons of confidentiality, figures between one and five have been suppressed and replaced with ‘*’ (an asterisk). Where it was possible to identify numbers from the total due to a single suppressed number in a row or column, an additional smallest number have been suppressed in order to protect patient confidentiality.
5. Ungrossed data
Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (ie the data are ungrossed).

General Practitioners

Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GPs were practising in each constituency in each year since 1997-98. [213629]

Ann Keen: We do not have the numbers of general practitioners practising in each constituency, but we are able to provide numbers by primary care trust. Such information as is available has been placed in the Library.

Health Foods

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date he last visited a health food shop in his ministerial capacity; and if he will make a statement. [210220]


26 Jun 2008 : Column 513W

Mr. Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not visited a health food store in his ministerial capacity.

Health Services

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times the Secretary of State has asked the Independent Reconfiguration Panel to review changes in the delivery of NHS services following the recommendation of an overview and scrutiny committee in each of the last five years. [212808]

Ann Keen: The Secretary of State has asked the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) to review 16 referrals from local Overview and Scrutiny Committees since 2003. Details are given in the following table.

Number of reviews Referral

2003

1

East Kent(1)

2004

0

2005

0

2006

3

Calderdale and Huddersfield

North Tees and Hartlepool

Gloucestershire

2007

8

Manchester

Oxfordshire

Wandsworth(2)

West Sussex(2)

Suffolk

Kent

Birmingham

2008

4

Scarborough

Bridlington

East Sussex

Barnet, Enfield and Haringey

(1) East Kent referral to the Secretary of State for Health was made by the local Community Health Council in 2003.
(2) For Wandsworth and West Sussex, the IRP undertook initial reviews only and advised the Secretary of State that full reviews were not appropriate.

Next Section Index Home Page