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1 Sep 2008 : Column 1699W—continued
Mr. Lansley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what ways he envisages the NHS Constitution encouraging open and transparent explanation by local NHS organisations if they choose not to fund a drug or treatment that a patient and clinician feels appropriate, as referred on page 44 of High Quality
Care for All, Cm 7432; what elements of decision-making on the funding of new treatments and drugs he defines as irrational; and if he will make a statement. [221143]
Dawn Primarolo: The draft NHS Constitution (copies have already been placed in the Library) was published on 30 June 2008 and the Government's proposals are open for public consultation until 17 October 2008. The Government will consider these issues, including the principles to support NHS decision-making, following the consultation.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to have developed ways to (a) monitor uptake of new clinical technologies and (b) measure the uptake of clinically-effective and cost-effective medicines once introduced, as referred to on page 44 of High Quality Care for All, Cm 7432; what plans he has to repeat the National Cancer Director’s report on the uptake of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)-approved cancer medicines in future years; whether his Department will produce a report on the uptake of all NICE-approved medicines in future years; and if he will make a statement. [221144]
Dawn Primarolo: As part of the innovation package agreed through the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme negotiations, and in support of the objectives set out in “High Quality Care for All”, the Government have committed to developing new metrics for the uptake of clinically and cost-effective medicines, starting with a number of drugs positively appraised by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and to publishing comparative international data. Detailed arrangements for the publication of these metrics have yet to be finalised.
The National Cancer Director’s latest report on the uptake of cancer treatments recommended by NICE will be published later in 2008.
NICE currently publishes information on the uptake of a number of treatments it has appraised on its website at:
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the clinical effectiveness of pre-hospital care as carried out by (a) doctors, (b) consultants and (c) paramedics. [221315]
Mr. Bradshaw: We have made no such assessment. The Department recognises that a range of professionals have a role to play in the provision of safe, high quality pre-hospital care but that it is for the local national health service to plan and provide such services and that the particular mix of clinical staff in such services is a local matter. Consultants, doctors and paramedics undergo professional regulation to ensure that standards are maintained.
Health Services: Cumbria
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for spending on primary care in (a) Cumbria and (b) Copeland constituency in the next three years. [219884]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department makes revenue allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs) and not to constituencies. The revenue allocation made to Cumbria PCT for 2008-09 is provided in the following table.
| Cumbria Teaching PCT | 2008-09 |
The 2009-10 and 2010-11 PCT revenue allocations will be announced in the autumn alongside the NHS Operating Framework for 2009-10.
It is the responsibility of individual PCTs to commission appropriate services to meet the needs of their local populations.
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on (a) primary and (b) acute healthcare in (i) Cumbria, (ii) West Cumbria and (iii) Copeland constituency since 1997. [219885]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information is hot available as requested. Information showing primary, general and acute health care by the Cumbria Primary Care Trust (PCT) and its predecessor organisations, from the earliest and latest dates available, is shown in the following table.
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