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22 July 2008 : Column 1101W—continued
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to establish a fellowship programme for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, as referred to on page 49 of High Quality Care for All, Cm 7432. [221029]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department is working with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and other stakeholders to develop detailed proposals for the establishment of a fellowship programme over the coming months.
NHS: Crimes of Violence
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce the incidence of violent attacks against NHS staff. [220130]
Ann Keen: The NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS) was created in April 2003, with policy and operational responsibility for security management within the national health service. A comprehensive strategy has been implemented detailing the preventative proactive and reactive action that is to be taken both nationally and locally to tackle this problem.
A network of local security management specialists (LSMS) supported nationally by the NHS SMS guidance, has been introduced. LSMS are tasked with ensuring that security work within their individual health bodies is effective. In particular they are guided to ensure that every incident of violence against NHS staff is reported, acted upon and evaluated so that measures can be adopted to prevent repeated incidents.
In 2006 the NHS SMS signed agreements with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), outlining how the NHS,
CPS and police will work together to drive down assaults and ensure tougher punishment for offenders. It commits the police, CPS and NHS to pursue every reported incident of violence and abuse.
Mandatory conflict resolution training has also been introduced for all frontline NHS staff, with over 450,000 staff trained by March 2008.
A national physical assault reporting system (PARS) has been developed to monitor and respond to incidents of assault against NHS staff. Using a clear definition as to what constitutes a physical assault, figures for the number of reported assaults against NHS staff 2006-07, released on 5 November 2007, indicate there were 4,676 fewer than 2004-05. The number of criminal sanctions against those perpetrating violence against NHS staff, also released in November 2007, rose to 869, a 17-fold increase from 2002-03 when figures were first collected.
New measures to tackle nuisance and disturbance behaviour on NHS premises have also been introduced in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. As well as reducing the impact of this behaviour on the delivery of health care, this legislation gives health bodies the power to remove an individual displaying this behaviour before an incident may escalate into violence.
A project to identify the best available alarm device technology to protect vulnerable lone workers is currently under way. The project will centrally fund the allocation of up to 30,000 devices and introduce a purchasing framework whereby health bodies can purchase any further requirements at the best price possible.
Training for all frontline staff in preventative skills remains a commitment as does the development of the network of LSMS in health bodies to ensure that all effective action is taken to prevent and deter violence against all NHS staff.
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses in England have reported being the subject of a violent incident perpetrated by (a) a patient and (b) a family member or friend of a patient in each of the last five years. [220131]
Ann Keen: The information is not available in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
For information on the numbers of reported physical assaults against national health service staff, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for East Devon (Mr. Swire) on 4 March 2008, Official Report, columns 2390-1W.
NHS: Drugs
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) in what ways he plans to monitor progress against the aim to end the postcode lottery in new drugs and treatments, as referred to in paragraph 4.18 of his Department's consultation on the NHS constitution; [220987]
(2) when he plans to issue directions under the National Health Service Act 2006 concerning the process primary care trusts (PCTs) need to adopt in making decisions on the funding of drugs and treatments which have not been recommended by the
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, as referred to on page 16 of his Department's document Handbook to the draft NHS Constitution; and whether he plans to strengthen sanctions for those PCTs which do not adhere to the directions; [221146]
(3) what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to give statutory effect to patients' right to drugs and treatments that have been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence; what plans he has to strengthen the sanctions for primary care trusts which breach this right; and if he will make a statement. [221249]
Dawn Primarolo: The draft NHS Constitution was published on 30 June 2008 and the Government’s proposals are open for public consultation until 17 October 2008. The Government will consider implementation, monitoring arrangements and legislation following the consultation.
NHS: Pensions
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis social enterprises will be given access to the NHS Pension Scheme. [220006]
Ann Keen: My right hon. Friend The Secretary of State would grant closed directions under section 7(2) of the Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1967 in respect of staff transferred under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) to qualifying social enterprises. A qualifying social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community. The following legal forms will be acceptable; a registered charity, a community interest company or an industrial and provident society. The terms of the direction would mean that staff would be able to remain members of the NHS Pension scheme. The direction would be specific to the staff named on the direction, the organisation applying for the direction and to them remaining working wholly on the contract in respect of which they were transferred or other national health service contracts. If staff are subsequently transferred to another social enterprise or organisation qualifying for a direction, then a further direction would be granted in respect of those transferring staff. Directions will not cover a member of staff recruited individually in the open market from the NHS or elsewhere.
Obesity: Halifax
Mrs. Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people diagnosed with obesity in Halifax over the last 10 years. [220010]
Dawn Primarolo: This information is not collected centrally.
Obesity: Health Services
Mr. Lansley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new resources he will provide to those areas worst affected by (a) obesity-related and (b) alcohol-related ill health, as referred to on page 37 of his Department's document High Quality Care for All, Cm 7432;
whether these resources will be provided on a one-off or recurrent basis; whether the resources will be provided to primary care trusts on a conditional basis; and if he will make a statement. [219361]
Dawn Primarolo: As part of the £372 million allocated to the delivery of Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: A Cross-Government Strategy for England, £65.9 million has been put into primary care trust (PCT) allocations for 2008-09. PCT allocations for 2009-10 and 2010-11 will be set later this year.
The Health Inequalities: Progress and Next Steps document published in June 2008 recognised the significance of obesity as one of the most important long-term challenges facing the nation's health and that obesity and its risks are not experienced equally across society. Within the document, the Government announced that they would test a “full service” model of local programme and services, to both prevent and tackle child and adult overweight and obesity in areas with the highest rates of child and adult obesity. Levels of investment will depend on the outcome of this piloting as well as subsequent implementation decisions by the NHS within overall PCT allocations.
Lord Darzi's review, High Quality Care For All recognises the role that the "full service" model can play as an exemplar in supporting preventative healthcare.
The Health Inequalities: Progress and Next Steps document also referred to the higher levels of alcohol- related mortality and hospital admissions within disadvantaged communities. The document committed to establishing a new National Support Team for Alcohol, which will provide in-depth analysis and direct support to Primary Care Trusts to “turn around” local performance in the areas with the highest rates of alcohol-related hospital admissions. The first five to 10 areas covered in 2008-2009 will be able to bid for additional funding over each of the next three years to support local improvements. The total investment over the next three years is subject to finalising PCT allocations for 2009-10 and 2010-11, which will be set later this year.
Obesity: Surgery
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients had gastric bypass surgery in hospitals in each of the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by (a) sex and (b) age. [215762]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available has been placed in the Library.
I regret that part of the reply I gave to the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) on 20 May 2008, Official Report, column 203W, providing figures of gastric bypass surgery in each hospital trust was incorrect. The correct information has been placed in the Library.
Gastric bypass surgery may be performed for a number of reasons, such as on patients with gastric malignancies, obesity, trauma to the stomach or benign gastric conditions.
Occupational Health
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what ways companies will be required to report on their employees' (a) health and (b) well-being as referred to on page 37 of his Department's document High Quality Care for All, Cm 7432. [219360]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The cross-Government Health Work and Well-Being Unit is working with Business in the Community (BiTC) in support of their Business Action on Health campaign through the provision of a tool called the ‘business healthcheck'. The aim is to secure voluntary commitment from 75 per cent. of FTSE 100 companies, and 20 per cent. of BiTC members, to report on health and well-being as a boardroom issue by 2011. The manner of reporting will vary in different organisations but the key point will be raising the profile of staff health and well-being at boardroom level.
Orthopaedics
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's strategy for research into orthopaedic needs and treatment is; and if he will make a statement. [221039]
Dawn Primarolo: The Government's health research strategy is set out in the document ‘Best Research for Best Health’ copies of which has already been placed in the Library. The strategy is being implemented by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). NIHR programmes support high quality research of relevance and in all areas of priority to patients and the national health service. Details, including the scope of the programmes, are available on the NIHR website at
Palliative Care
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce payment by results for (a) the NHS and (b) the voluntary sector providers of end of life care services. [221429]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We have no timetable for including end of life care in payment by results (PbR).
Several local health economies are currently investigating PbR-type funding approaches for specialist palliative care and community services, as PbR ‘development sites.’
Prescriptions: Fees and Charges
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria govern the selection of illnesses for which free prescriptions will be provided; and if he will make a statement. [220501]
Dawn Primarolo: The list of medical conditions giving prescription charge exemption was agreed in discussion with the medical profession and introduced in 1968. The Government will be inviting comments on possible options for cost neutral changes to prescription charges and exemptions later this year.
Primary Care Trusts: Equality
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which primary care trusts have completed a local equality impact assessment; and whether such assessments are collated centrally; [220016]
(2) what requirements there are for primary care trusts to conduct local equality impact assessments; and what requirements there are for such assessments to cover cancer. [220017]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: All primary care trusts (PCTs) have a duty to undertake and publish equality impact assessments (EqIAs). These are not centrally collected by the Department. However, the Healthcare Commission has conducted audits of national health service trusts to look at whether trusts have published the required information. Each PCT is required under the equality legislation to equality impact assess their functions, policies, strategies and procedures. The Healthcare Commission when inspecting PCTs will assess the quality of the EqIA which will go towards their annual rating.
The ‘Cancer Reform Strategy’ was published in December 2007 (copies of which have already been placed in the Library) and has an equality impact assessment which highlights the strategic equality issues regarding cancer which are there to inform PCTs of the issues they should take in due regard when commissioning their own cancer services.
Protection
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on adult protection procedures in England in the last five years. [220853]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not available centrally. The Department is responsible for setting policy on adult protection procedures. Implementation of this policy is the responsibility of local councils. Councils are free to determine expenditure on adult protection procedures according to local needs and priorities. They must, of course, discharge their statutory responsibilities.
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether an equality impact assessment (a) has been conducted and (b) is planned before the conclusion of the No Secrets review of the adult protection arrangements; [220854]
(2) how service users are being involved in the No Secrets review of care for vulnerable adults; [220855]
(3) what work is being done as part of the No Secrets review of care for vulnerable adults to (a) learn lessons from local authority inquiries that have raised issues about adult protection procedures and (b) collect examples of good practice in adult protection. [220856]
Mr. Ivan Lewis:
The Department is preparing to publish a national consultation on the “No Secrets” guidance. This consultation identifies a large number of issues and questions about how to improve adult protection and the wider safeguarding of people who are at risk of or who have already experienced abuse. We are working to develop a consultation strategy which involves people
who are service users and people who are not—as well as stakeholders who are already active in this field. We are also working with the large advisory board for “No Secrets” and discussing how member organisations can take an active part in contributing the views of people they are working with.
The consultation will invite people to contribute their views, their experiences and their thoughts about how to improve adult protection and safeguarding. We have already met large numbers of adult protection co-ordinators and safeguarding leads and sought their views as part of our early consultation events. We will continue to do this. We are also identifying safeguarding leads in the national health service in order to look at the issue more closely in a health context. In addition, we have commissioned a review of the lessons learned from serious case reviews.
An equality impact assessment is planned before the conclusion of the review.
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