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10 July 2008 : Column 1795W—continued
Chlamydia: Peterborough
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were diagnosed with chlamydia in Peterborough Primary Care Trust area and its predecessor bodies in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [214818]
Dawn Primarolo: Nationally, data in genito-urinary medicine clinics (GUM) are only collected on diagnoses made, not on the number of patients diagnosed.
Information on the number of diagnoses of uncomplicated chlamydia infections in GUM is currently only available at strategic health authority (SHA) level. The east of England SHA includes the Peterborough Primary Care Trust (PCT).
The total number of diagnoses of uncomplicated chlamydia infection in the east of England SHA are shown in the following table:
| Total | |
| Notes: 1. The data available from the KC60 statutory returns are for diagnoses made in GUM clinics only. Diagnoses made in other clinical settings, such as general practice, are not recorded in the KC60 dataset. 2. The information provided has been adjusted for missing clinic data. 3. Data are unavailable for 2007. Source: Health Protection Agency, KC60 returns | |
In addition, the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) provides chlamydia screening to asymptomatic people aged under 25 years in England since April 2003. The following table shows the number of positive chlamydia screens among those aged 13 to 24 years who were screened for chlamydia and are resident in Peterborough PCT as part of the NCSP during the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2008.
| Peterborough PCT | |
| (1 )Cell size of one to four and totals have been masked to protect deductive disclosure in accordance with office guidelines. Notes: 1. The data from the NCSP core dataset are for positive chlamydia screens made outside of GUM clinics only and include positive screens made by the Boots pathfinder project. 2. The data available from the NCSP are the number of positive screens made and not the number of patients who tested positive. 3. The data is specific to the following years 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 since the NCSP follows the financial year. Source: The National Chlamydia Screening Programme Core Dataset. | |
Dental Services: Peterborough
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of individuals resident in the Peterborough Primary Care Trust area aged (a) under 16, (b) 16 to 60 and (c) over 60 years of age do not have access to an NHS dentist; and if he make a statement. [216963]
Ann Keen: The information requested on individuals resident in Peterborough primary care trust area who do not have access to a national health service dentist is not held centrally.
It is for local NHS organisations to make local arrangements to ensure patients are supported in accessing NHS dental services. Increasing access to primary care dental services year on year is now an NHS priority.
Health Services
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps the Government has taken to give (a) patients and (b) NHS staff more influence over the provision of health services. [217137]
Mr. Bradshaw: Section 242 of the NHS Act 2006 (formerly section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001) already requires national health service organisations to involve patients and the public in the planning and provision of health services.
This duty has been strengthened by the introduction of local involvement networks (LINks) from April 2008. Part of the role of LINks is to give all citizens the chance to say what they think about and want from their local health and care services, and to give them the chance to influence how services are planned and run. In addition, Section 234 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 requires strategic health authorities and primary care trusts to report back to their communities how they have involved and consulted users, and how such involvement has impacted on their commissioning decisions.
Since April 2008, all patients requiring an elective referral can choose their first outpatient appointment from any hospital provider that meets NHS standards
and costs. By exercising choice patients will have greater influence on the provision of health services, as providers will be incentivised to tailor services to the needs and preferences of patients.
To help people choose their hospital provider the NHS Choices website contains easy to access comparison data on hospitals. The new Primary and Community Care Strategy commits to extending the NHS Choices service further to include more comparative information on general practitioner services and the views of local patients.
NHS foundation trusts are also accountable to their service users, who along with members of the public and staff can become members of their local organisation. The inclusion of members and locally elected governors ensures the direct participation and influence of local communities in service provision by NHS foundation trusts.
Finally, on 30 June 2008, the Department laid before Parliament the “High Quality Care for All” (CM7432), the final report of the NHS next stage review, led by Lord Darzi. This marked the culmination of a year-long process which itself has given frontline staff and patients an unprecedented opportunity to shape the future of health and healthcare at local level. “High Quality Care for All” set out a series of measures that the Department will now take to enable frontline staff, with the continued engagement of patients and the public, to realise those visions, and to enable patients to take greater control of their own health and healthcare. The document—with the full list of enabling measures—can be found at:
Alongside the report, the Government published a draft NHS Constitution for consultation, to reaffirm the enduring principles and values of the NHS, and to empower patients, the public and staff. The Constitution collects together important rights for both patients and staff, and it makes a number of pledges that reflect where the NHS should go further than the legal minimum. For example, the Constitution sets out the right for people to be involved in the planning and development of NHS services (this derives from the duty in section 242 of the NHS Act 2006), and a pledge that the NHS will strive to engage staff in decisions that affect them and the services they provide.
Health Services: Standards
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the National Clinical Audit and Patients' Outcomes Programme has to conduct an audit of dignity for patients in hospital and other care settings. [212300]
Ann Keen:
The Government are committed to taking action to promote dignity in care services. In November 2006, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ivan Lewis) launched the first ever Dignity in Care Campaign. The campaign aims to stimulate a national debate around dignity in care and create a care system where there is zero tolerance of abuse and disrespect of older people. It is led by Government in partnership with many
organisations that provide and commission care and protect the interests of those using care services and their carers.
A scoping study for a National Clinical Audit of Dignity (“Essence of care”) for older people in hospital and other settings was commissioned, by the Healthcare Commission, from the Royal college of Nursing. The scope has been presented to the National Clinical Audit and Patients' Outcomes Programme and the National Clinical Audit Advisory Group, to consider whether a full audit should be commissioned.
Human Embryo Experiments
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2008, Official Report, column 659W, on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, what account was taken of the status of pro-nuclei as non-equivalent to the nucleus of an embryonic cell in developing the provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill; and if he will make a statement. [216809]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 7 July 2008]: A single cell embryo contains two pro-nuclei. One contains the nuclear Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA) from the sperm and one contains the nuclear DNA from the egg. The two pro-nuclei form the entire complement of nuclear DNA within the single cell embryo. Upon division of a single cell embryo the DNA of the pro-nuclei replicates, and following cell division the two cells each contain a single nucleus. In the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Bill the DNA within the pro-nuclei of a single cell embryo, and DNA within the nucleus of any other cell, are given equivalence. This ensures that clauses in the HFE Bill which refer to nuclear DNA, are also referring to pro-nuclear DNA. It means that, even though a pro-nucleus and a nucleus are not scientifically equivalent, clarity is provided for the purposes of the prohibitions and licensing on the HFE Bill.
Leishmaniasis
Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were diagnosed with leishmaniasis in each of the last 10 years. [216272]
Dawn Primarolo: The number of cases of leishmaniasis reported in each of the last 10 years for England, Wales and Northern Ireland are shown in the following table:
| Number | |
All cases of leishmaniasis diagnosed in the United Kingdom are acquired abroad. We currently do not have the vector for this disease in the UK. Data for 2007 have not yet been finalised
Lung Cancer: Health Services
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what comparative assessment he has made of (a) outcomes from and (b) expenditure on lung cancer services in (i) other EU countries and (ii) OECD countries; whether he has established international benchmarks for lung cancer services; what steps he is taking to improve outcomes for lung cancer patients; and if he will make a statement. [216785]
Ann Keen: We have made no comparative assessment of outcomes from and investment in lung cancer services in other European Union and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, and no international benchmarks for lung cancer services have been set. An electronic toolkit for commissioning cancer services was launched in June 2008, which provides local benchmark information to help commissioners plan and monitor services, including lung cancer services.
We published the “Cancer Reform Strategy” on 3 December 2007, copies of the strategy have already been placed in the Library. The strategy sets a clear direction for the development of cancer services In England over the next five to 10 years. It contains a wide range of measures to tackle all cancers and improve patient care, and it will transform existing cancer care from prevention and diagnosis to treatment and aftercare.
Maternity Services
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will issue guidance to South West Essex Care Trust on the provision of post-natal health checks on new-born infants up to the age of six weeks; and if he will make a statement; [217653]
(2) what guidance he has issued to primary care trusts on the provision of a post-natal check on new-born infants at six weeks after birth; what his policy on the provision of a six-week check is; what the purpose of the six-week check is; what is examined in the course of the check; and if he will make a statement. [217654]
Ann Keen: On the 17 March 2008 the Department published guidance for the “Child Health Promotion Programme, Pregnancy and the first years of life”. “The Child Health Promotion Programme” is the early intervention and prevention public health programme that lies at the heart of our universal service for children and families. The guidance states that new born infants should have a health review at six to eight weeks.
a comprehensive physical examination, with emphasis on eyes, heart and hips (and testes for boys)
a record of the baby’s feeding status—breast-feeding, bottle feeding or mixed feeding; review of general progress and delivery of key messages about parenting and baby’s health, including eating and activity, weaning and accident
prevention, information about play and appropriate activities; and baby’s weight and length should be measured and plotted, where there are concerns.
A copy of the guidance has already been placed in the Library.
We have no plans to issue special guidance to South West Essex care trust.
Ritalin
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were prescribed Ritalin in each of the last 30 years for which figures are available, broken down by primary care trust area. [217024]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Information is not available to cover the timescale requested. A table has been placed in the Library, which shows an estimate of the number of prescription items of methylphenidate hydrochloride, prescribed to children for each year since 2003 broken down by primary care trust. This includes children aged 0 to 15 years and those aged 17 and 18 years in full-time education (FTE).
Ritalin is one brand name of methylphenidate hydrochloride. The products included in the table represent all the generic and branded name variations of methylphenidate that can be used for the management of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children.
Data are available from May 2003 to April 2008. The information provided is based on the capture of data on every 20th prescription form and is therefore an estimate and subject to sampling errors.
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