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13 Jan 2010 : Column 1022W—continued
Total cost of absence in MHRA for the period was £1,254,772.94.
The number of days of sick leave taken by staff in the NHS Procurement and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) in each of the last 12 months are as follows:
| Total number of sickness absence days | |
For the period December 2008 to November 2009 the estimated total cost of sickness absence to NHS PASA was £177,815.
Health Services: Finance
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people (a) applied for and (b) received the Help with Health Costs grant in 2008-09; what the average amount received was; what the eligibility criteria for the grant are; and what the main reasons for refusing applications were in that period. [309377]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: No grant is payable under Help with Health Costs.
The words "Help with Health Costs" are used as a description of the extensive range of exemptions and remissions created to help patients meet the cost of certain national health service charges. Further details are provided in the leaflet HC11 Help with Health Costs, available at:
A copy has been placed in the Library.
Heart Diseases: Health Services
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2009, Official Report, column 479W, on heart diseases: health services, what the timetable is for specialised commissioning groups to designate services for adults with congenital heart disease. [310538]
Ann Keen: There is no national timetable for Specialised Commissioning Groups (SCGs) to designate services for adults with congenital heart disease. The service specification standards for these services are expected to be officially signed off by SCGs at a meeting on 28 January 2010. It is for each SCG then to decide on a timetable for the work on designation of services for adults with congenital heart disease according to local priorities.
Home Care Services
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research projects were commissioned by his Department from the Personal Social Services Research Unit for the purposes of informing the Green Paper on Shaping the Future of Care Together; and how much that unit was paid for each such project. [310100]
Phil Hope:
The Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) undertook a rolling programme of work for the Department in connection with the Green Paper
under the terms of a specification that was reviewed and agreed at regular intervals. The standard specification was supplemented by a number of ad hoc requests.
The total cost to the Department of the PSSRU input was £280,000 in 2008-09 and £128,000 in 2009-10.
Hospitals: Road Salting and Gritting
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated amount is of (a) road salt and (b) grit supplies held by hospitals. [310555]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Department does not collect data centrally on the estimated amount of road salt and grit supplies held by hospitals in England.
Liver Diseases: Health Services
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he expects to announce the appointment of a national clinical director for liver disease; [309650]
(2) what recent progress has been made on developing a National Liver Strategy; and if he will make a statement. [309651]
Ann Keen: We are about to appoint a new National Clinical Director for Liver Disease. Their name will be made public shortly.
NHS Litigation Authority
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many inspections were carried out by Det Norske Veritas on behalf of the NHS Litigation Authority in each of the last three years; and how much the Authority paid to Det Norske Veritas in each such year. [310173]
Ann Keen: Det Norske Veritas (DNV) has been carrying out assessments for the NHS Litigation Authority since 1 April 2007. In 2007-08, they carried out 220 assessments, and in 2008-09 they carried out 170 assessments. DNV are expected to carry out 247 assessments in 2009-10.
We are unable to provide information relating to payments made to DNV because this is deemed commercially sensitive.
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much each NHS trust paid the NHS Litigation Authority in each of the last three years. [310175]
Ann Keen: The information requested is contained in the document "NHS Contribution Data-2006-09". A copy has been placed in the Library.
The data are also available from the Factsheets on the NHS Litigation Authority's website:
NHS: Dental Services
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken to inform the public of dental practices which are taking on new NHS patients. [310412]
Ann Keen: Information on dental practices taking on new patients for national health service treatment is available nationally from NHS Direct and NHS Choices. Anyone having difficulty in finding an NHS dentist should contact their primary care trust (PCT). All PCTs provide helplines. New services are opening all the time as PCTs work towards providing access for all who want it by, at the latest, March 2011. Where appropriate, PCTs advertise these services locally as they open.
NHS: North West
Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2009, Official Report, columns 480-90W, how many full-time equivalent (a) managers and (b) senior managers there were in each salary band in each trust in the North West in each of the last five years. [310062]
Ann Keen: The information requested is not collected centrally.
NHS: Standards
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much each primary care trust is expected to spend consulting on the NHS Constitution; and if he will make a statement. [310800]
Ann Keen: The Department has not set any expected levels of spending.
Nurses: Manpower
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were employed in the NHS in (a) 1997 and (b) 2009. [310464]
Ann Keen: The total number of nurses employed in the national health service in 1997 and 2008 are set out as follows
| Headcount | Full-time equivalent (FTE) | |
The number of nurses employed in the NHS in 2009 will be released in March 2010 upon publication of the NHS Workforce Census.
The total number of all qualified nurses (including practice nurses), midwives and health visitors has increased by 81,000 (25 per cent.) since 1997.
Nurses: Pay
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average salary was for a nurse in (a) 1997 and (b) 2009. [310465]
Ann Keen: The average salary of a nurse was £19,600 in 1998-99 and £30,900 in 2009. No comparable figures are available prior to 1998-99 as this was the first year in which the NHS Staff earnings survey was undertaken.
Notes:
1. In the context of this answer the term "Nurse" has been interpreted as a qualified nurse
2. The source of the 1998-99 figure is the NHS Earnings Survey 1998-99, available at:
3. The source of the 2008-09 figure is the NHS Information Centre NHS Staff Earnings April-June 2009, available at:
4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £100.
Nutrition: Health Services
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people were recorded as having (a) an admission and (b) a discharge episode with a diagnosis of (i) malnutrition, (ii) nutritional anaemias and (iii) other nutritional deficiencies in each NHS trust in each month since September 2008; [309122]
(2) how many people were recorded as having (a) an admission and (b) a discharge episode with a diagnosis of (i) malnutrition, (ii) nutritional anaemias and (iii) other nutritional deficiencies in each NHS trust in each year between 1997-98 and 2008-09. [309123]
Gillian Merron: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Obesity: Surgery
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent assessment has been made of the level of availability of bariatric surgery on the NHS (a) in each strategic health authority area, (b) in each primary care trust area and (c) nationwide; [310125]
(2) what criteria are used by each primary care trust in deciding whether to provide bariatric surgery for obese patients. [310126]
Gillian Merron: The Department has not undertaken an assessment on the availability of bariatric surgery in the national health service. It is up to primary care trusts as local commissioners and providers of services to determine the most appropriate methods to deliver health care to their populations, based on clinical need and effectiveness, and following medical advice.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) provides "Guidance on the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children", available at www.nice.org.uk/CG43. This guidance contains criteria for assessing whether to provide bariatric surgery for people who are obese.
Preventive Medicine
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to encourage people to take up preventive health services. [310414]
Gillian Merron:
'High Quality for All: NHS Next Stage Review Final Report' (2008) committed primary care trusts to work in partnership with local authorities to commission comprehensive well-being and prevention services particularly covering obesity, alcohol harm, drug addiction, smoking, sexual health and mental health. A copy has already been placed in the Library.
The Department has also sponsored guidance to improve commissioning of preventive services which was published by the Royal Society of Public Health in December 2009, and this is part of a programme of work to improve commissioning of health and well-being services.
Community pharmacies already play a key role providing local services such as stopping smoking, weight management and supporting drug misusers. A range of other initiatives and approaches are also being introduced to encourage the take up of preventive services and to offer support, such as the Lets Get Moving initiative which screens for physical inactivity. Other screening programmes include those for breast, cervical and bowel cancer.
Strokes: Health Services
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the 2007 National Stroke Strategy in improving patient outcomes. [310415]
Ann Keen: Improving stroke care is a national priority for the national health service and is a tier one vital sign in the NHS Operating Framework. Data collected on primary care trusts performance against the vital sign show improvements in the delivery of patient care for stroke patients. Now almost 60 per cent. of people spend 90 per cent. of their time in a stroke unit; a marked improvement since publication of the National Stroke Strategy. The most recent Royal College of Physicians' "National Sentinel Stroke Audit" conducted in 2008 shows a consistent improvement in performance across nine key indicators; for example there are increasing numbers of hospitals with acute stroke beds with 96 per cent. of hospitals in England now offering specialist acute stroke care.
Since the strategy was published in December 2007, 28 stroke networks have been set up across England to work with commissioners and providers to improve services, and thereby, patient outcomes. Evaluation of the first part of the ACT F.A.S.T campaign has shown this to be one of the most effective public awareness campaigns having reached 82 per cent. of the population. The campaign has led to an increase of 55 per cent. in stroke-related 999 calls.
We intend to commission an independent evaluation of the implementation of the National Stroke Strategy later this year.
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