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26 Jan 2010 : Column 783W—continued
Moldova
Montserrat
New Zealand
Russia
Serbia
St. Helena
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Ukraine
Uzbekistan.
Health: Screening
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many (a) GP surgeries and (b) pharmacies in England are providing NHS Health Checks to people aged between 40 and 74; [312619]
(2) what systems his Department has in place to assess the use of funding allocated for the implementation of NHS Health Checks. [312620]
Ann Keen: Primary care trusts (PCTs) began phased implementation of the NHS Health Check programme in April 2009.
It is for PCTs to decide how to deliver the NHS Health Check programme in a way that best suits the needs of their local population. There are different ways that PCTs may choose to do this and could include the use of general practitioner (GP) surgeries, pharmacies and other community settings, or a combination of these. There is no centrally collected information on how many GP surgeries, pharmacies and other settings are being used to provide NHS Health Checks. Funding for the programme is not ring-fenced and provided as part of general PCT allocations. Data on spend by PCTs on implementing the programme are not collected centrally.
Life Expectancy
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average life expectancy was for people in each (a) local authority and (b) health authority area in each of the last three years. [311722]
Angela E. Smith: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated January 2010:
The Director General for the Office for National Statistics has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the average life expectancy was for people in each (a) local authority and (b) health authority area in each of the last three years. I am replying in his absence. (311722)
Life expectancy figures are calculated as three-year rolling averages, and are published annually by ONS . The tables provide the period life expectancy at birth for males and females in each (a) local authority in England and Wales (Table 1), and (b) primary care organisation in England and local health board in Wales (Table 2), for the 2006-08 period (the latest figures available). A copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Livestock: Disease Control
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons guidance on food chain information for keepers of cattle, sheep and goats regarding procedure for animals sent to slaughter after 1 January 2010 was not issued until 30 December 2009. [312920]
Gillian Merron: We are advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that European Union food hygiene regulations place a responsibility on slaughterhouse operators to request and receive food chain information for all animals sent for slaughter for human consumption. This requirement entered into force for cattle, sheep and goats on 1 January 2010.
In November 2009, the FSA wrote to all slaughterhouse operators to inform them of this responsibility and advise them to contact their livestock suppliers to make appropriate arrangements. In addition, in late November/early December 2009, the FSA undertook a number of initiatives to publicise the new requirements widely including to livestock keepers.
Subsequently, in response to a request from cattle and sheep industry representative bodies, the FSA also collaborated with them to produce guidance for livestock keepers. This guidance was finalised and placed on the FSA website on 23 December 2009:
Hard copies of the guidance were distributed to all slaughterhouse operators and livestock markets on 29 December 2009.
Mental Health Services: Birmingham
Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated to the provision of cognitive behavioural therapy in the Birmingham area in each of the last three years. [312188]
Phil Hope: Data are not available for 2007-08 and 2008-09.
The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Programme is rolling out new psychological therapy services across England. To date, funds have been allocated to primary care trusts (PCTs) as they have established new IAPT services, but from 1 April 2010, funding for IAPT services will be in PCT baselines.
It should also be noted that many PCTs have made further local investment, alongside the centrally allocated funding, to ensure IAPT services serve more people.
In the Birmingham area, three PCTs (Heart of Birmingham, North and East Birmingham, and South Birmingham) have established a single IAPT service with £1.692 million investment of central funds. There has also been significant local investment made alongside this central money. This investment was made in 2009-10, with the services going live in autumn 2009.
Information about any further local investment in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and IAPT services in primary care settings can be obtained directly from the local PCTs concerned. However, CBT may also be delivered as part of care packages in secondary mental health services, which provide services to those with severe and enduring mental health problems.
Neurology: Children
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the review of paediatric neurological services by the National Specialised Commissioning Group; and what effects he expects the outcomes of the review to have upon service provision at Wessex Neurological Centre. [313413]
Ann Keen: The National Specialised Commissioning Group (NSCG) has set up a steering group with members from the Society of British Neurological Surgeons, the British Paediatric Neurosurgery Group and other relevant professional associations to review delivery of paediatric neurosurgical services in England. The review is making good progress; it has published draft service standards for discussion with a wide range of stakeholders and is looking at the evidence base for possible reconfiguration of services and potential models of care.
No key decisions on the future planning or delivery of paediatric neurosurgical services in England have yet been made and we cannot prejudge the outcome of the review, but the aim of the review is to ensure safe and sustainable paediatric neurosurgical services for all children in England, and their families, regardless of where they live or which hospital delivers their care.
NHS: Accountancy
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Health Minister in the Welsh Assembly Government on the application to NHS charity funds associated with hospitals in Wales of proposed changes to NHS accounting standards. [312539]
Phil Hope: Ministers have not had any discussion on this issue with the Health Minister in the Welsh Assembly Government.
NHS: Contracts
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to the merits of extending the Joint Statement on Access to Skills, Advice and Trade Unions to include the NHS. [312169]
Ann Keen: We have agreed that the Joint Statement on Access to Skills, Advice and Trade Unions should be extended to new and re-let NHS contracts.
NHS: Ministers of Religion
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much was spent by (a) his Department and (b) the NHS on chaplaincy services in each of the last five years; [313181]
(2) how much was spent by (a) his Department and (b) the national health service on chaplaincy services in 2008-09. [313294]
Phil Hope: National health service bodies are not required to report their planned or actual spending on chaplaincy and related services to the Department. When planning such services, NHS bodies should take due account of their legal duties, the composition of the communities they serve, and the needs and circumstances of their patients, service users and local populations.
The Department recognises the important role played by faith organisations in supporting the NHS to deliver multi-faith chaplaincy services and has established a chaplaincy grants programme to fund a range of faith organisations to support health-care chaplaincy. Over the past five years, the total funding made available has been as follows:
| (£) | |
| (1) Approximately | |
Obesity: Children
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the (a) levels of obesity and (b) overall health of schoolchildren in England in each of the last three years. [312315]
Gillian Merron: The Health Survey for England (HSE) 2008 contains information on the percentage of children aged two-15 who are obese in each of the last three years. This information has already been placed in the Library. The data indicate that the prevalence of obesity in children aged two-10 is levelling out. In children aged 11-15 the prevalence has increased.
The NHS Information Centre has undertaken annual surveys of smoking, drinking and drug use among young people aged 11-15, carried out in schools across England. The annual surveys for each of the last three years have been placed in the Library. In addition, trend table 8 in the HSE 2008 contains information on children's general health.
Further information is also collected in the Tellus Survey that asks children and young people questions covering the five Every Child Matters outcomes including the 'Be Healthy' outcome.
Patients
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to evaluate the effectiveness of self-care by patients; what steps his Department is taking to increase awareness of self-care among GPs and patients; what educational programmes his Department plans to implement to encourage the early adoption of this approach; and what safeguards are in place to discourage the inappropriate use of self-care by patients diagnosed with conditions which require medical intervention. [312630]
Ann Keen: Patients are routinely asked for their feedback on the support they receive to self-care and its effectiveness through the GP Tracker Survey and the IPSOS MORI self-care survey.
The Department worked with Skills for Health and Skills for Care who published the "Common Core Principles to Support Self Care" (May 2008) setting out the skills attitudes and behaviours to support individuals to self-care. In addition a web-based training module for clinicians and other professionals is available through the national learning management system-"Supporting Self Care" was developed with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the Department's e-learning for Healthcare.
Information for patients on self-care choices and service options has been made available with the development of "Your health, your way". This web-based initiative on NHS Choices is supported by a patient information leaflet and information and resources for healthcare professionals. In the recent national Self Care Week (9-15 November 2009) which aimed to raise awareness of "Your health, your way" and the choices of self-care support available, visits to the website doubled.
The Department continues to support and engage with the Expert Patients programme as one of the options to provide education for people with long terms conditions (LTCs) that can help them access services more appropriately and to self-care more effectively. This is in addition to other choices of support in terms of information about the condition, tools and equipment to help people stay independent, access to support groups, and healthy lifestyle advice.
The Department's self-care strategy focuses on supporting people with LTCs through a process of care planning which enables them to take a more active and informed role in decisions about their health and well-being. This includes information, choices, shared decision making and ongoing support to self-care as part of a care planning discussion with their health-care professional. A personalised care plan, developed and regularly reviewed with a lead professional from among the team of staff who help manage their care will mean a person will have more control over the care packages they receive. In this way the chances of any unplanned emergencies or deterioration in that person's condition should be minimised. Information about care plans and care planning is included in the "Your health, your way" and self-care materials.
Perinatal Mortality
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intrapartum deaths of babies occurred in each primary care trust (PCT) in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what the population served by each PCT is. [312363]
Ann Keen: The information for 2003-07 has been placed in the Library.
Social Services: Vulnerable Adults
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which local authorities provide (a) only critical, (b) only substantial and (c) both critical and substantial care for adults classed as the most vulnerable. [313414]
Phil Hope: The information is not collected centrally.
Information provided by the Care Quality Commission shows that, in 2009, three councils met only critical needs and 107 councils met both critical and substantial needs.
Swine Flu: Drugs
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of those diagnosed with swine influenza have received Tamiflu in the last 12-months. [312917]
Gillian Merron: Since the National Pandemic Flu Service (NPFS) was launched on 23 July 2009 it has been used to assess most people who have swine flu symptoms to determine whether they need an antiviral. If an antiviral is authorised the individual will be given an authorisation number. Between 23 July and 12 January 2010, 1,748,866 people who used the NPFS service were given an authorisation to receive Tamiflu. Of these, 1,125,633 people collected Tamiflu from an antiviral collection point, this is approximately 64 per cent.
These figures relate solely to Tamiflu collected through the NPFS. Data on antivirals distributed through normal primary care routes is still being collated.
Swine Flu: Vaccination
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence his Department has evaluated on adverse side effects arising from use of vaccines distributed during the current swine influenza epidemic. [312453]
Gillian Merron: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has in place a proactive safety monitoring strategy for the swine influenza vaccines currently in use in the United Kingdom. As part of this, the MHRA established a dedicated reporting system, an adjunct to the existing Yellow Card scheme, for suspected side effects to the vaccines.
The strategy involves daily analysis of all suspected side effect reports, a real-time statistical analysis of the data and weekly publication of its ongoing review on the MHRA website:
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