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26 Jun 2008 : Column 513W—continued
Health Services: Overseas Visitors
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in England who have been unlawfully infected with HIV; and if he will make a statement; [213680]
(2) what criteria his Department uses to determine which infections entitle those infected to NHS treatment regardless of immigration status; and if he will make a statement; [213681]
(3) for which medical conditions and in what circumstances individuals are entitled to NHS treatment regardless of their immigration status; and if he will make a statement. [213683]
Dawn Primarolo: Latest data show that in 2006 there were 48,480 diagnosed HIV infected individuals who accessed HIV related care at national health service sites in England. National HIV surveillance data, collated at the Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, does not collect information on the immigration status of people accessing treatment for HIV. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the information requested.
Anyone who is considered to be ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom is fully entitled to all NHS treatment free of charge. This includes HIV treatment. Those who are not ordinarily resident here are deemed overseas visitors and are subject to the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989, as amended. They will have to pay for any hospital treatment they receive unless an exemption from charge category applies.
Some services are themselves exempt from charge, meaning that no one can be charged for them, regardless of their residence or immigration status. These services are:
treatment given in an accident and emergency (A&E) department or in a walk-in centre in respect of services similar to those provided in an A&E department;
treatment given elsewhere than at a hospital, or given by someone not employed by, or under direction of, a trust;
family planning services;
treatment for certain communicable diseases in order to protect the public health;
treatment given in, or as a referral from, a sexually transmitted diseases clinic (except for services in relation to HIV/AIDS, where only the initial diagnostic test and associated counselling is free to all);
treatment given to people under the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1983; and
treatment given for mental health problems as part of a court probation order.
Furthermore, for primary care, treatment that, in the clinical opinion of a general practitioner (GP) or health care professional, is emergency or immediately necessary will be given free of charge irrespective of whether the person is registered with a GP practice, or would be entitled to free hospital treatment.
The NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989, as amended, list those diseases for the treatment of which no charge is to be made. This list is based on a number of public health regulations and comprises:
notifiable diseases (Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, Section 10 and Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1985);
diseases to which public health enactments applied (Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1968);
food poisoning and food-borne infections (Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1968); and
other diseases listed (currently severe acute respiratory syndrome).
Health Services: Planning
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date his Department approved the final version of (a) the East of England Strategic Health Authority’s vision document published on 12 May 2008, (b) the Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority’s vision document published on 14 May 2008 and (c) the South West Strategic Health Authority’s vision document published on 15 May 2008. [212593]
Ann Keen: The core of the National Health Service Next Stage Review has been a process led by working groups in every NHS region covering two thousand clinicians in total. The vision documents set out the priorities for improving health and health care in each NHS region over the next decade and the challenges that Lord Darzi’s final report will respond to shortly. These issues have been discussed with Lord Darzi during the review.
Medical Examinations: Learning Disability
Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department’s officials have had with counterparts in Wales on the effectiveness of annual health checks for people with a learning disability. [210639]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Departmental officials have been in discussions with officials of the Welsh Assembly about their experience of health checks. They have taken into account experience in Wales in developing good practice to deliver the commitment to introduce regular and comprehensive health checks for people with learning disabilities in England.
Midwives
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many births per full-time equivalent NHS midwife there were in (a) England and (b) each region of England in each of the last five years. [213105]
Ann Keen: The information requested is shown in the following table.
National Health Service Hospital and Community Health Services: The number of live births in England per midwife in England by strategic health authority (SHA) area as at 30 September each specified year
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS midwives in (a) England and (b) each region of England took maternity leave in each of the last five years. [213106]
Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally.
National Clinical Audit Advisory Group
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who the members are of his Department’s National Clinical Audit Advisory Group. [212302]
Ann Keen: The current members of the National Clinical Audit Advisory Group are:
Professor Nick Black (Chair);
Mr. Andrew Middleton;
Mrs. Boo Armstrong;
Mr. Daniel Keenan;
Dr. Geraldine Walters;
Dr. Jan Van der Meulen;
Mr. Mark Gritten;
Mr. Martin Ferris;
Mr. Michael Peake;
Mr. Norman Butler; and
Professor Pauline Ong.
National Clinical Audit and Patients' Outcomes Programme
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the National Clinical Audit and Patients' Outcomes Programme's (a) current and (b) future work programme is; and if he will make a statement. [212301]
Ann Keen: The National Clinical Audit and Patients’ Outcomes Programme’s (NCAPOP) 2008-09 work programme, as at 21 April 2008, is as follows (this includes audits that are in development/pilot stage and those that are running):
Bowel cancer;
Head and neck cancer;
National lung cancer audit;
Oesophago-gastric (stomach) cancer; and
Mastectomy and breast reconstruction.
National Neonatal Audit Programme; and
Paediatric intensive care audit network.
Adult cardiac surgery;
Congenital heart disease;
Coronary interventions;
Myocardial infarction;
Cardiac ambulance services;
Heart rhythm management; and
Heart failure.
Diabetes;
Renal services; and
National Joint Registry.
Stroke: hospital services;
Carotid endarterectomy; and
Services for people who have fallen.
The full 2008-09 programme is shown in the following table.
A number of these audits will run into 2009-10 and beyond. Decisions on new audits will be taken in due course on advice from the National Clinical Audit Advisory Group and informed by the results of scoping studies.
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