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12 Oct 2009 : Column 711W—continued
Employment Tribunals Service
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times his Department has been taken to an employment tribunal in each of the last five years; what the reason cited in each case was; and in how many cases the tribunal found in favour of (a) the employee and (b) the Department. [290442]
Phil Hope: As detailed in the following table, in the last five years the Department has been taken to an employment tribunal twice.
The case in 2007-08 reason was one of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, found in favour of the Department.
The case in 2005-06 reason was one of discrimination on the grounds of disability, found in favour of the claimant.
| Number of cases | Reason cited | Found in favour of | |
| (1) No cases from the current financial year have proceeded to tribunal to date. | |||
Epilepsy
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information his Department has on levels of misdiagnosis of epilepsy in (a) the general population and (b) the prison population; [289957]
(2) what information his Department has on the number of people with epilepsy who have been diagnosed by an epilepsy specialist in (a) the general population and (b) the prison population. [289960]
Ann Keen: Information on the number of people diagnosed by an epilepsy specialist is not collected centrally.
Information on the level of misdiagnosis for epilepsy is not collected.
In July, I wrote to all strategic health authorities drawing their attention to the report "Epilepsy in England: Time for Change", which was published by Epilepsy Action earlier this year. In my letter, I also reinforced the importance of implementing the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guidance and the National Service Framework for Long-term neurological Conditions in delivering high quality, accessible services for those living with epilepsy.
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information his Department has on the number of people with epilepsy who have had a medical review in the last 12 months in (a) the general population and (b) the prison population; [289958]
(2) what information his Department has on the number of people with epilepsy who have uncontrolled seizures in (a) the general population and (b) the prison population. [289959]
Ann Keen: Information on the number of people with epilepsy who have uncontrolled seizures is not collected.
Information on the number of people with epilepsy who have had a medical review in the last 12 months is not collected.
In July, I wrote to all strategic health authorities drawing their attention to the report "Epilepsy in England: Time for Change", which was published by Epilepsy Action earlier this year. In my letter, I also reinforced the importance of implementing the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guidance and the National Service Framework for Long-term neurological Conditions in delivering high quality, accessible services for those living with epilepsy.
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Care Quality Commission plans to undertake a review of the care of people in prison with epilepsy. [289965]
Phil Hope: Following consultation, the Care Quality Commission published in June 2009 their forthcoming programme of special reviews. A review of the care of people in prison with epilepsy is not currently within the agreed list of topics to start in 2009-10.
The Commission has informed us that it is considering what topics should be undertaken as special reviews and studies from 2010-11 and what consultation process would help inform its final decisions. A special review on the health and social care needs of offenders is one of many potential topics under consideration.
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps are taken to identify people with epilepsy on entry into (a) prisons and (b) young offender institutions; [289953]
(2) how many people in (a) prisons and (b) young offender institutions have epilepsy; [289954]
(3) what guidance his Department provides to staff in (a) prisons and (b) young offender institutions on the care of people with epilepsy; [289955]
(4) what recent assessment he has made of the extent to which the care of people in prison with epilepsy is in accordance with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guidelines of 2004. [289961]
Phil Hope: There has been no centrally commissioned research or audit on this matter. Local primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for assuring the quality of care provided in primary care settings to their local population, which includes all publicly run prisons.
All clinical staff are regulated and subject to the same standards of practice including those providing care in prisons. The standards of care are found in the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance CG20. The standards of care expressed in the New General Medical Services Quality Outcomes Framework will be monitored, as they are in general practice, across the prison estate following the roll out of a general practitioner clinical IT system.
The Department of Health and the Prison Reform Trust have recently published two new information books for prisoners with a disability. Copies have been placed in the Library. The first book is a short, easy-read
version for prisoners with learning difficulties, the second book contains more in depth detail for prisoners on their health, daily life, and how to get help in prison and on release this includes information on epilepsy.
Since 2006, PCTs have been responsible for commissioning health services for their offender health population. In commissioning these services, the NICE guidelines for epilepsy provides the benchmark for providers of these services.
The Department does not collect information on the number of people in prisons and young offender institutions that have epilepsy.
Offenders are now all screened on arrival in prison by a trained nurse or trained officer to find out what their health needs are and get them the right treatment. All new offenders entering prison reception either on remand or sentenced, have an initial health assessment undertaken to ensure that any immediate health needs are identified on the first night with a fuller comprehensive health assessment completed within five days of admission into custody.
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department has on levels of incorrect prescription of medication for people with epilepsy in (a) the general population and (b) the prison population. [289956]
Ann Keen: Information on incorrect prescribing of medication for those with epilepsy is not collected.
In July, I wrote to all strategic health authorities drawing their attention to the report "Epilepsy in England: Time for Change", which was published by Epilepsy Action earlier this year. In my letter, I also reinforced the importance of implementing the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guidance and the National Service Framework for Long-term neurological Conditions in delivering high quality, accessible services for those living with epilepsy.
Food Standards Agency: Energy
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) display energy certificate and (b) advisory report for public buildings issued in respect of each property occupied by the Food Standards Agency. [289925]
Gillian Merron: The display energy certificate for the Food Standards Agency can be found on the Office of Government Commerce website:
From the table one can obtain the relevant record number which allows viewing of the buildings advisory report which can be found on the following website:
This response only covers the agency's property in England where it is the major occupier, that is Aviation House in Holborn.
Food: Infant Milk
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures are in place to ensure the marketing of breast-milk is in accordance with the international code of marketing of breastmilk. [289571]
Gillian Merron: The marketing of breast-milk substitutes must comply with the European directive on infant formula and follow on formula 2006/141/EC, which reflects the principles of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. This sets out rules about the composition, labelling and advertising of formula.
The Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (England) Regulations 2007 implement the provisions of this directive and prohibit the advertising of infant formula to the general public. The impact of these measures on the way follow-on formula is advertised and presented is currently being reviewed by an independent panel of experts.
Gambling
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what running costs have been incurred and how many patients have been treated at the Central and North West London national problem gambling clinic since its opening in November 2008. [292316]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The information requested is a matter for Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust. We have written to Dame Ruth Runciman, Chair of Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, informing her of the hon. Member's inquiry. She will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.
General Practitioners
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GP practices in (a) Hertfordshire and (b) England are closed at lunchtimes on weekdays. [289429]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Information on general practitioner practices' opening hours is not collected centrally. Practices are required to include in their practice leaflets the opening hours of practice premises and the method of obtaining access to services throughout core hours. Practices can also place this information on the NHS Choices website.
General Practitioners: Hertfordshire
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors were employed by West Hertfordshire primary care trust (a) in 1997 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available. [289444]
Phil Hope: The number of doctors employed by West Hertfordshire primary care trust (PCT) for 2002 when PCTs were first established and for 2008 which is the latest data available, is shown in the following table.
| General and personal medical services and hospital and community health services: All Doctors( 1) within specified PCTs | |||
| Numbers (headcount) | |||
| Of which: | |||
| As at 30 September each year | All Doctors | Medical staff | General practitioners |
| Notes: 1. Excludes medical Hospital Practitioners and medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals. 2. Data quality Workforce statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 National Health Service trusts and 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 Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census The Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics | |||
Genetics
Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department has provided for translations research on single-gene disorders since the publication of the genetics White Paper in 2003. [291770]
Gillian Merron: The information requested is shown in the following table.
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