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17 Nov 2008 : Column 230W—continued
Prostate Cancer
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people received treatment for prostate cancer in (a) the UK, (b) the North East, (c) Tees Valley district and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last 10 years. [229866]
Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people received treatment for prostate cancer in (a) the UK, (b) the North East, (c) Tees Valley District and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last 10 years. [229866]
The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2006 for England and Wales, and the year 2005 for Scotland and Northern Ireland. The number of prostate cancer cases receiving treatment in the United Kingdom (UK) is only available for the year 2001. There are no figures for the UK for the other years requested because the number of prostate cancer cases receiving treatment is only available for the year 2001 for Northern Ireland.
Table 1 gives the number of newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer that have received treatment for 2001 for (a) the United Kingdom, and for the years 1997 to 2006 for (b) the North East Government Office Region, (c) Tees Valley District, and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Parliamentary Constituency. In 2001, for 41 per cent of prostate cancer cases in the UK, either no treatment information was recorded or patients were recorded as having no treatment.
| Table 1: Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of prostate cancer( 1) receiving treatment( 2) , males: United Kingdom( 3) , north east government office region, Tees Valley District( 4) , and Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland parliamentary constituency( 5) , 1997 to 2006 | ||||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
| (1) Prostate cancer is coded to C61 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (1CD-10). (2) Number of cases that have one or more treatments recorded. (3 )The number of prostate cancer cases receiving treatment in the United Kingdom is only available for the year 2001. There are no figures for the UK for the other years requested because the number of prostate cancer cases receiving treatment is only available for the year 2001 for Northern Ireland. (4 )Tees Valley is defined as the Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees and Darlington local authorities. (5 )Based on boundaries as of 2007. (6 )Cancer registration data for 1997 are not sufficiently robust to accurately identify treatment in prostate cancer patients. In 1997, for 50 per cent. of all prostate cancer cases in the north east government office region, either no treatment was recorded or patients were recorded as having no treatment, this compares to an average of 18 per cent. for the years 1998 to 2006. A Radical Therapy for Localised Prostate Cancer audit, that included all patients in the northern and Yorkshire region diagnosed with prostate cancer during 1998, was published in 2004. Source: Office for National Statistics; Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit; Scottish Cancer Registry, NHS National Services Scotland; and Northern Ireland Cancer Registry. | ||||||||||
Social Services
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specialist areas of work are of each official in his Department that works on social care. [235611]
Phil Hope: The strategic objectives of the Department are better health and well-being for all, better care for all and better value for all. Every official within the Department contributes, through their personal objectives, to achieving those goals for both health and social care.
The social care, local government and care partnerships directorate has the specific responsibility for the development of policy on adult social care, and on mental health and health services for offenders. In meeting this responsibility, the directorate is supported by the rest of the Department. The directorate has an establishment of 149.01 whole time equivalent officials. Of these 100.66 whole time equivalents work exclusively on adult social care policy. The specialist areas of work of these officials are in the following table.
Social Services: Standards
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government have taken to (a) improve social care provisions for people with disabilities and (b) raise standards in social care provision for the elderly; and what further steps the Government plan to take to improve social care provision. [236055]
Phil Hope: In ‘Putting People First’, (2007), the Government, and their partners in the sector, set out their commitment to transform social care to meet the needs and expectations of those who need support and their families. A copy of this document has been placed in the Library.
We have provided £520 million through the Social Care Reform Grant to help councils undertake the necessary reforms. The Department of Health is working closely with key stakeholders to deliver this agenda and a new National Director for Transforming Adult Social Care has been appointed to help councils achieve a systemic shift in adult care towards user control, prevention and enhanced information and advice services.
In addition, the Office for Disability Issues published the Independent Living Strategy in March 2008. The strategy sets out a five-year plan that seeks to realise the Government's aim that all disabled people should be able to live autonomous lives, and to have the same choice, freedom, dignity and control over their lives as non-disabled people.
The Department, together with the Office for Disability Issues, is leading work on the ‘Life Chances’ commitment that, by 2010, there should be a user-led organisation (ULO) modelled on existing Centres for Independent Living in every local authority area with Social Services responsibilities. ULOs are led and controlled by disabled people and are key to both delivering personalisation and achieving independent living for disabled people.
Southmead Hospital: PFI
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implications for the viability of the private finance initiative project to replace Southmead hospital of the current economic situation; and if he will make a statement. [235906]
Mr. Bradshaw: The two consortiums competing to be appointed preferred bidder on the private finance initiative scheme at North Bristol NHS Trust for the redevelopment of the Southmead hospital site are currently finalising their bids. The Trust, the Department and the bidders are holding discussions about current economic conditions and how these should be factored into the bids as part of the competitive process.
As with all private finance initiative schemes, appointment of the preferred bidder is then dependent on a business case demonstrating value for money and affordability being submitted to and approved by the Department.
Vaccinations
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the (a) hepatitis B and (b) influenza immunisation programme; when each was last reviewed; with what results; what recent representations he has received on each programme; and if he will make a statement. [235520]
Dawn Primarolo: The hepatitis B and influenza immunisation programmes are kept under review by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), who provide expert impartial advice to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.
JCVI last considered the hepatitis B vaccination programme in June 2008. The minutes of the meeting can be found at the following website, and also been placed in the Library.
http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/jcvi/JCVI_draft_ minutes_final_17_June_08.pdf
The committee will consider hepatitis B vaccination again after the completion of an independent peer-review of the cost-effectiveness of introducing hepatitis B vaccine as a routine infant, routine adolescent or as a selective infant immunisation programme.
JCVI last considered the influenza (flu) vaccination programme in February 2008 when the recommendations for the current flu campaign were discussed. The committee noted that there would be no changes to the risk groups for the current flu campaign. The minutes of the meeting can be found at the following website, the minutes have also been placed in the Library.
A JCVI influenza subgroup will meet on 10 December 2008.
An independent panel was appointed by the Department in 2005 to review the arrangements for the seasonal influenza programme in England. This report was published in March 2007. The report is available at the following website, and has also been placed in the Library.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Flu/Flugeneral information/DH_072767
The Department has received correspondence relating to the clinical at risk groups. The response to these letters stressed the importance of reducing morbidity in high risk groups and made clear the independent advice from the JCVI. Further to this, senior officials from the Department meet with the UK Vaccine Industry Group (UVIG) on a six monthly basis to discuss flu vaccine supply.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which groups of workers are eligible for the (a) hepatitis B vaccination and (b) vaccination against influenza; which groups were eligible in each year since 1997; what recent representations he has received on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [235521]
Dawn Primarolo: Details of workers who are recommended to receive a hepatitis B immunisation are provided in the “Immunisation against infections diseases, 2006 ‘Green Book’” chapter 18, page 172. A copy of this has already been placed in the Library. These groups were also recommended in the “Immunisation against infections diseases 1996 ‘Green Book’” chapter 18, pages 101-102. A copy of this is in the Library. Further information on hepatitis B immunisation can be found in the “Health clearance for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV: New healthcare workers, 2007 guidance”. The guidance can be found at the following website and it has also been placed in the Library.
Influenza immunisation was first recommended for health and social care workers in a letter from the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in 2000 (PL/CMO/2000/3). This letter can be downloaded from the following website and it has been placed in the Library.
Information on influenza policy is published in annual CMO letters. They can be downloaded from the following website.
Vaccination for poultry workers was introduced by the Department at the end of the 2006-07 influenza season. Guidance on this programme can be found at the following website and it has also been placed in the Library.
The Department has received very low levels of correspondence on this issue.
Alcoholic Drinks: Young People
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce alcohol consumption among 11 to 15 year olds who drink regularly. [234957]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry [holding answer 13 November 2008]: I have been asked to reply.
The proportion of teenagers who drink regularly is falling but those who do drink are drinking a lot more. Young people who drink too much not only put their own health at risk, but are more likely to get involved in antisocial behaviour and contribute to insecurity on our streets. The Youth Alcohol Action Plan, published in June, sets out a number of actions to address the problems of young people's alcohol consumption. We will provide clearer health information for parents and young people about how consumption of alcohol, particularly at an early age, can affect children and young people. This will include the chief medical officer's guidelines on safer drinking by young people and a comprehensive communications campaign aimed at 11 to 15 year-olds to be launched in spring 2009.
In line with recommendations from an independent review of drug and alcohol education, Ministers announced on 30 October 2008 that Personal Health and Social Education (PHSE) would be made statutory subject. This would underline the key role PSHE has to play in young people's personal development.
Very few young people are addicted to alcohol but we know that a small proportion of young people do drink too much which puts them at risk of harm. DCSF are working closely with the National Treatment Agency (NTA) to continue to improve the accessibility and quality of substance misuse treatment for young people (under 18), with the aim of ensuring that effective treatment is available for any young person with alcohol problems that needs it.
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