| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
19 Jan 2009 : Column 1196W—continued
the number of people who have learning disabilities; and
the number of people with learning disabilities who are living with parents over the ages of 60, 70 and 80.
The Department does not collect this data as it is for local authorities to work with local partners to determine the numbers and needs of their population through the joint strategic needs assessment. Local authorities should hold details of adults known to services and their level of need.
The Department is introducing a directed enhanced service to reward general practitioners for providing annual health checks for people with learning disabilities known to local authorities so they may keep data about these people in the future.
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much each local authority spent on (a) community-based care and (b) residential care for people with a learning disability in each of the last five financial years. [247183]
Phil Hope: The information has been placed in the Library.
Mental Health Services
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish the document, New Horizons for Mental Health Commissioning. [249653]
Phil Hope: We envisage that the New Horizons strategy framework will be ready for consultation in summer 2009.
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve choice and information for people with depression and anxiety. [249654]
Phil Hope: The Department is committed to giving people with mental health problems choice, where possible, and a more personalised service, including making more information available about mental illness to help people manage their own care.
People with depression and anxiety are eligible to receive all National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence-approved (NICE) psychological therapies, including guided self-help, counselling, computerised cognitive behavioural therapy, behavioural activation and exercise.
We are increasing the availability of these services in primary care through the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT). IAPT aims to help primary care trusts implement NICE guidelines and improve access to psychological therapies in England for people with depression or anxiety disorders. It is supported by a significant national investment rising to £173 million by 2010-11. Our plan is to have trained 3,600 more therapists who will help to provide 900,000 more people with access to psychological therapies by 2010-11.
Mental Health: Economic Recession
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the impact of economic recessions on levels of mental health. [248375]
Phil Hope: The Department has not commissioned research on the impact of the economic recessions on levels of mental health. However, we recognise that there are links between poor mental health and difficult economic circumstances and, in the current climate it is understandable that people might worry more about their finances and employment. Mental health services in England are now better prepared than ever before to provide help for people with mental health problems.
Since 2001-02, real terms investment in adult mental health services increased by 44 per cent. (or £1.7 billion) putting in place the services and staff needed to transform mental health services. The national health service spent £5.53 billion on these services in 2007-08 (£3.844 billion in 2001-02).
We now have 64 per cent. more consultant psychiatrists, 71 per cent. more clinical psychologists and 21 per cent. more mental health nurses than we had in 1997, providing better care and support for people with mental health problems. (Full-time equivalent).
Because of the National Service Framework and increased funding, we now have over 740 new community mental health teams offering home treatment, early intervention, or intensive support for people who might otherwise have been admitted to hospital.
Further, we are investing significantly in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme with annual funding rising to £173 million in the third year (2010-11), to train 3,600 extra therapists and treat 900,000 more people in those three years.
This programme is relieving distress and transforming lives by offering effective intervention and treatment choice to people with depression and anxiety disorders and improving the collection, recording and measuring of patients' health outcomes.
There were 35 new services launched last month, with more than 800 therapy workers now offering this support to people who need it.
Neonatal Mortality
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has (a) commissioned and (b) assisted into unexplained neonatal mortality. [248216]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department funds national health service research and development through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Three of the NIHR's biomedical research centres are undertaking research into cot and infant death.
In addition, the NIHR clinical research network is supporting a number of potentially relevant studies. Details are available on the network's portfolio database at:
The Department's Policy Research Programme (PRP) funds the National Epidemiology Unit and the British Paediatric Unit. A significant part of the work of these units is concerned with aspects of neonatal and infant
mortality. The PRP is also funding research into the relationship between outdoor air pollution and infant mortality.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Confidential Inquiry into Maternal and Child Health has further to review how it determines the (a) number of babies who are stillborn and (b) levels of neonatal mortality. [248218]
Ann Keen: Confidential Inquiry into Maternal and Child Health (CEMACH) produces an annual national report covering perinatal mortality, which includes stillbirths and neonatal deaths to 28 days of life and feedback reports for every strategic health authority and provider trust with a maternity unit.
A major development in respect of stillbirth reporting has been a new system for classifying cause of death and the associated data collection form, introduced earlier this year. The first national reports using this new data will be available from April 2010.
In addition, for neonatal mortality, the annual national report for 2007, which CEMACH expects to publish in May 2009, will contain a focus section on neonatal mortality. This will provide new quantitative data on:
variations in neonatal mortality stratified by the level of neonatal care provided;
neonatal transfers and mortality;
neonatal mortality and place of birth; and
neonatal mortality and time of first booking for antenatal care and the UK position on international comparisons on neonatal mortality.
CEMACH is also developing comparative analysis on neonatal mortality for 2007 for each of the new local safeguarding children boards.
NHS: Buildings
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what average percentage of the occupied floor area of (a) each NHS trust’s buildings and (b) all NHS trusts’ buildings in England were in physical condition (i) C and (ii) D in each year since 1996-97. [247153]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information is not available in the format requested.
The Department collects data on the percentage of occupied floor area that is below Estatecode condition B annually from national health service trusts through its Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC). These data are not amended centrally and therefore their accuracy is the responsibility of the contributing NHS organisations.
The percentage of the occupied floor area that is below Estatecode condition B has been collected since 2001-02. The information relating to 2001-02 onwards has been placed in the Library.
NHS organisations are locally responsible for the provision and maintenance of their buildings and facilities.
NHS: Disclosure of Information
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued on whistle blowing policy in relation to individuals working in child protection in the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [247812]
Ann Keen: The statutory guidance “Working Together to Safeguard Children”, updated in 2006, requires all organisations that provide services for, or work with, children, to have appropriate whistleblowing procedures, and a culture that enables issues about safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children to be addressed. National health service employers have issued general guidance on whistleblowing within the NHS and this can be found on their website.
NHS: Exchange Rates
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the effect of recent sterling exchange rate changes on the cost of (a) medical, (b) surgical equipment and (c) pharmaceutical supplies; [246549]
(2) what drugs and healthcare products are imported for use by the NHS; and on which products exchange rate changes affect prices; [246550]
(3) what percentage in cost terms of the products purchased by (a) his Department, (b) the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency, (c) NHS and primary care trusts and (d) regional procurement hubs are imported on which currency exchange rates will have an effect on price; [246551]
(4) what assessment he has made of the likely effects of recent exchange rate changes on the savings targets of the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency. [246568]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information is not collected in the format requested and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to mitigate the impact of recent exchange rate changes on the overseas activities of (a) his Department and (b) the NHS; [246553]
(2) what steps (a) his Department and (b) the NHS is taking to mitigate the possible effects of foreign exchange movements on their budgets; and if he will make a statement; [246563]
(3) what (a) his Department's and (b) the NHS's current corporate planning assumption rates are regarding foreign exchange movements; [246564]
(4) what net effect foreign exchange movements had on (a) his Department's and (b) the NHS's budget in each year since 2001-02. [246565]
Mr. Bradshaw: Most of the budgets of the Department and the national health service are not directly affected by foreign exchange rate movements.
The NHS has negligible foreign currency income and expenditure and therefore is not exposed to significant foreign currency risk.
Although the Department itself pays for some goods and services in foreign currency, these are minimal enough not to need mitigating action. The Department also receives hardly any income in foreign currency.
Aside from goods and services, the Department is required to make some other payments in foreign currency. In order to mitigate the foreign currency risk on these payments, as the exact amount and timing of the payment
is known, the Department purchases forward rate agreements with the Bank of England. In all other cases, a spot exchange rate is used.
There are no foreign currency movements in the Department's Resource Accounts as relevant provisions and liabilities in the balance sheet at the year-end are converted at the forward contract rate.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) his Department's and (b) the NHS's forecast (i) net euro and (ii) net US dollar exposure is in 2008-09; what it was in 2007-08; and what revisions were made to those forecasts in light of foreign exchange movements. [246554]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has negligible foreign currency income. Its expenditure in foreign currency during 2007-08 was €1,038 million and US$ 30 million.
Forecast outturn for 2008-09 is €826 million and US$ 30 million. This is based on having forward rate agreements in place to cover known foreign currency payments. Other payments could be made in 2008-09 using the prevailing spot rate but these are dependent on demand.
The national health service has negligible foreign currency income or expenditure and therefore not affected by foreign exchange rate movements.
NHS: Fees and Charges
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to allow independent sector treatment centres to receive subsidies over the NHS tariff when contracts currently in place expire. [247947]
Mr. Bradshaw: As independent sector treatment centre contracts come to an end, local national health service commissioners are best placed to make decisions about health services in their communities. The Department will work with local commissioners to assess the best course of action to ensure that the needs of patients continue to be met.
NHS: Telephone Services
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department’s consultation on the use of 084 numbers within the NHS is expected to cost. [247143]
Mr. Bradshaw: The total costs for undertaking this consultation will only be known once the consultation is completed and all associated costs have been compiled. Final costs will depend on the actual level of demand for consultation documents during the consultation period and the associated print and distribution costs.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS Direct uses 0844 and 0845 telephone numbers for calls from members of the public; and if he will make a statement. [247306]
Mr. Bradshaw:
The NHS Direct telephone advice service currently operates on 0845 4647. As set out in the NHS Next Stage Review final report, published 30 June 2008, officials are currently considering options for the introduction of a new three digit telephone
number to help people find the right local service to meet their urgent, unplanned care needs. Any subsequent decision to introduce such a number, including tariff options, would be subject to public consultation, undertaken by Ofcom under the Communications Act 2003. NHS Direct will retain its current 084 number until we are clear about any future role and function it may have in implementing a national three digit number for urgent care.
Additionally, NHS Direct is commissioned to provide local services on behalf of primary care trusts and other organisations. NHS Direct provides telephone numbers with prefixes including:
0845;
0800;
01;
02; and
03.
In accordance with Centre of Information guidance, NHS Direct does not directly or indirectly receive revenue for the use of any 0845 numbers.
NHS: Temporary Employment
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many contracts the NHS has awarded to agency staff in each year since 1997; what the cost of these contracts was; and if he will estimate the annual cost of each contract had it been awarded to in-house NHS providers in each year since 1997. [248333]
Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |