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24 Apr 2009 : Column 934W—continued
Health Services: Greater London
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to make a decision on whether to accept the recommendations of the Independent Review Panel's report on A Picture of Health for South East London; and if he will make a statement. [270372]
Ann Keen: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health is currently considering the recommendations made to him by the Independent Reconfiguration Panel. He will make a decision on A Picture of Health for South East London in due course.
NHS: Disclosure of Information
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to NHS organisations on the implementation of staff whistleblowing policies; who is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of such policies; and if he will make a statement. [271055]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department has issued a ‘whistleblowing in the NHS policy pack’ which has been developed to provide support to organisations in developing and reviewing whistleblowing policies and procedures. NHS Employers have subsequently issued updated guidance on whistleblowing policy within the national health service and this can be found on their website. The implementation and evaluation of whistleblowing policies is a matter for local employing organisations.
Prescription Drugs: Internet
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to restrict the trade in pharmaceutical products from abroad purchased over the internet which could present risks to the health of individuals. [270682]
Dawn Primarolo: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) actively monitors the availability of medicines being offered on-line using specialist equipment and resources focused on identifying websites operating within the United Kingdom. Robust action is taken when illegal activity is detected.
Several initiatives are underway to communicate risks posed by on-line supply of medicines to consumers and potential customers, both by MHRA acting as regulator, or in conjunction with relevant organisations such as the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. These include national advertising campaigns with Industry and patient groups to raise awareness and specific articles targeting magazines focussing on slimming and men's health issues. Internet auction sites are also used as a means of communicating perceived risk.
Information on buying medicines on line is also available through the MHRA website at:
Sickle Cell Diseases: Greater London
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were diagnosed with sickle cell disease in each London health trust area in each of the last five years. [269264]
Ann Keen: This information is not collected by the Department. A National Haemoglobinopathy Registry sponsored by the Department was launched in March to provide basic details on the distribution, causes of death, diagnosis and numbers with red cell disorders such as sickle cell disease and thalassaemia in the United Kingdom. These data are currently anonymised. Any disclosure will be subject to agreement by patients and individual trusts.
Sleeping Pills
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many prescriptions for sleeping tablets were dispensed to people aged (a) under 18, (b) between 18 and 25, (c) between 50 and 64 and (d) over 64 years in each of the last five years; [270345]
(2) how many prescriptions for sleeping tablets were dispensed in each of the last five years. [270346]
Dawn Primarolo: Information on the age of patients is not collected when prescription items are dispensed. The number of prescription items to treat insomnia, as listed in paragraph 4.1.1 of the British National Formulary as ‘Hypnotics', written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England, by calendar year, is given as follows.
| Number of i tems (thousand) | |
| Source: Prescription Cost Analysis | |
Vaccination: Side Effects
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adverse reaction reports for routine vaccinations there have been in each year since 1985. [270911]
Dawn Primarolo: The table lists the numbers of reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to routine vaccines submitted to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) via the Yellow Card Scheme between 1 January 1985 and 31 December 2008. It should be noted that during this time many millions of children and adults have been immunised with these vaccines.
It is very important to note that the report of a suspected ADR via the Yellow Card Scheme and inclusion in this list does not necessarily mean that the adverse reaction was caused by the vaccine. Yellow Card reports are suspicions that a vaccine or medicine may have caused an adverse reaction and are not proof of a causal association.
Data from the Yellow Card Scheme are continually reviewed to identify new safely issues with medicines and vaccines, and where issues are identified appropriate action is taken to protect public health.
| Year of receipt | Number of reports |
Home Department
Asylum: Housing
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many houses rented under the National Asylum Support Service scheme did not have anyone living in them on 1 January 2009. [263209]
Mr. Woolas: There were no unoccupied houses for which the UK Border Agency was making payment for on 1 January 2009.
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