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25 Nov 2008 : Column 1232W—continued
| 2007 to 2008 | |||||||||
| Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| 2008 to 2009 | |||||||
| Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | |
| Average number of calls per booked appointment to the Choose and Book Appointments Line (TAL) operated by NHS Direct on behalf of the national health service | ||||||||||||||
| September 2007 to March 2008 | ||||||||||||||
| Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | |
| April 2008 to October 2008 | |||||||
| Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | |
| (1) Data were not collected prior to September 2007 Source: NHS Direct | |||||||
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints about the Choose and Book appointments line have been received in each of the last 36 months; and if he will make a statement. [236956]
Mr. Bradshaw: Where a complaint is raised with NHS Direct regarding the Choose and Book Appointments Line, NHS Direct manages these in line with the NHS (Complaints) Regulations 2004, and the Department's Implementation Guidance for the NHS (Complaints) Regulations 2004 and Good Practice Toolkit for Local Resolution.
The number of complaints received by NHS Direct concerning the Choose and Book Appointments Line for the period April 20061 to October 2008 are shown in the following table.
Social Services: Vocational Guidance
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many copies of the employers’ (a) resource pack and (b) booklets relating to (i) social care and (ii) social work have been downloaded from his Department’s social care and social work careers information website in each quarter since it was established. [238425]
Phil Hope: The social work and social care website, at: www.socialworkandcare.co.uk provides information to prospective candidates for social care jobs, or for those considering a career in social work. The website provides information on what working in social care involves, the qualifications and experience that new entrants require and other guidance for people considering making an application. It also has resources to assist employers run their own recruitment campaign.
Figures regarding the number of resources downloaded from the site are only available from March 2008. Prior to this, the coding to allow unique identification of materials being downloaded was not in place.
The figures from March 2008 are in the following table.
| Number of resources downloaded | |
The booklets are also available to order by phone.
Strokes
Mr. Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people had strokes in (a) England and (b) the East Midlands in each of the last five years. [237897]
Ann Keen:
Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) from 2006-07 suggest there were around 96,000 and 8,000 emergency admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of stroke in England and the East Midlands Strategic Health Authority respectively. However, this figure under-represents the true incidence of stroke for
two reasons. Firstly, HES data only include those who were admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of stroke but not all stroke patients currently attend hospital. Secondly, the count of admissions does not represent the total number of patients as a person may be admitted more than once in the year. HES data cannot answer the question in the form requested. Academic estimates suggest there are around 110,000 strokes in England per annum.
Tables showing HES statistics for stroke admissions in England have been placed in the Library.
Home Department
Animal Experiments
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors underlie the increases in the number of procedures conducted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in each of the last six years; and if she will take steps to reduce the number of procedures in future years. [238907]
Meg Hillier [holding answer 24 November 2008]: Many factors influence trends in the use of animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, including the economic climate, global trends in scientific endeavour and strategic decisions by funding bodies. The increase in the use of genetically altered strains seen over recent years has also had an impact as advances in genetics open up new and promising avenues of medical research.
The licensing system under the 1986 Act is demand-led and we have no control over the number of project licence applications we receive. The Act limits such animal use to where there is a clear benefit to people, animals or the environment when there is no means of obtaining these benefits without animal use, or at a lesser animal welfare cost. All scientists and researchers undertaking animal research in the UK are required to take into account the ‘3Rs’ (measures to replace, reduce, and refine animal use) when devising their programmes of research proposals.
In 2004, the Government established the National Centre for the 3Rs to provide a focal point and resources for such activities. The NC3Rs drives advances in the 3Rs by taking a robust scientific approach, and bringing together expertise from a diverse range of areas, including academia, industry, Government and regulatory bodies.
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