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11 Dec 2008 : Column 230W—continued
use of the nutritional criteria developed by the agency.
This recommendation is based on a comprehensive set of consumer research data which indicated that this was the approach most likely to be helpful to consumers.
With publication of “Healthy Weight Healthy Lives” in January 2008 (a copy of which has already been placed in the Library) the Government committed to finding a single, simple and effective approach to food labelling to be used by the whole food industry, based on the principles that will be recommended by the Food Standards Agency in light of independent research currently being undertaken. This research is evaluating the effectiveness of front of pack signpost labelling schemes currently in use in the United Kingdom market place in terms of enabling consumers to make healthier choices. The research is expected to be published in April 2009.
Headaches
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much per patient per year was spent on headache disorder research in the latest period for which figures are available. [241422]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.
Health Education
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Teaching Public Health Networks in providing training opportunities. [240375]
Dawn Primarolo: The nine regional Teaching Public Health Networks (TPHNs) were established in 2006, as a commitment arising from Choosing Health. The aim of TPHNs is to establish an integrated and inclusive approach to the development of public health education across organisations and sectors, at all skill and professional levels. They have an important role in raising the awareness of public health education and training opportunities among all professional groups to help them understand how their job influences public health.
In addition to working on local priorities to change and enhance curriculums and skills, to include consideration of public health capabilities and knowledge, the networks are also taking a lead role in reviewing public health educator capacity across academic and service sectors.
While the primary role of the teaching public health network is not to deliver courses and provide training opportunities, many of the networks have worked on the development of short courses within their lead area.
No formal assessment of the effectiveness of the TPHNs in providing training opportunities has been carried out to date, although the activity of the networks are formally evaluated by the Department annually. Discussions are currently ongoing to inform the next business planning cycle, including the evaluation of current initiatives such as the TPHNs.
Health Services: Voluntary Organisations
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the voluntary sector will be eligible for funding from the new strategic health authority innovation funds. [240537]
Dawn Primarolo: The new strategic health authority innovation funds are intended to be accessed by the broadest range of organisations, bodies and individuals possible, working either in the NHS or in partnership with the national health service. This will include the voluntary sector.
Health Visitors: Manpower
Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health visitors there were in each region in each year since 1997 for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [241932]
Ann Keen: The number of health visitors in each region in England in each year since 1997 is shown in the following table.
| NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified health visitors in England by strategic health authority area as at 30 September each specified year | |||||||||||
| Headcount | |||||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| Note: Data Quality Workforce statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data. Processing methods and procedures are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where this happens any impact on figures already published will be assessed but unless this is significant at national level they will not be changed. Where there is impact only at detailed or local level this will be footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce census | |||||||||||
Health: Males
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the outcomes of Men’s Health Week 2008; and if he will make a statement. [240907]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department welcomes National Men’s Health Week and the awareness raising opportunities it provides. The Men’s Health Forum provide an evaluation of the events each year and send their findings to the Department, along with other interested parties.
Healthy Start Scheme
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the healthy start scheme. [240368]
Dawn Primarolo: Plans are currently under way to evaluate the nutritional impact of Healthy Start. This will include an assessment of the extent to which Healthy Start provides a nutritional safety net for those vulnerable groups known to be most at risk of poor nutrition, and its ability to improve diet and increase awareness of healthy eating and the promotion of breast feeding.
We are also refining a comprehensive suite of management information that will allow us to assess the performance in delivering the scheme, monitoring trends in demand, scheme take up, and voucher usage.
Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average cost to the NHS of administering a single dose of (a) Cervarix and (b) Gardisil. [242403]
Dawn Primarolo: The individual cost of the vaccine and hence the total cost to Government of the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) vaccination programme is commercial-in-confidence.
Primary care trusts (PCTs) were provided with funding to implement the national programme. A list of allocations per PCT is available from the following web link, which has been placed in the Library.
The cost of administering the HPV programme was estimated to be the same regardless of which vaccine was used.
Lung Diseases
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of diagnosing sufferers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at (a) stage one and (b) stage two. [242763]
Ann Keen: This information is not available centrally.
Lyme's Disease
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's definition of (a) Lyme's disease, (b) chronic Lyme's disease and (c) post-Lyme's syndrome is. [242070]
Dawn Primarolo: Lyme disease in people is defined as a multi-system infection with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, when, following a tick bite, infection is confirmed on the basis of either obvious clinical symptoms, such as a pink or red raised rash spreading from the site of the tick bite, or through laboratory diagnostic tests that conform to the internationally agreed testing criteria and that have the appropriate specificity and sensitivity to accurately identify the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi.
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