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28 Jan 2010 : Column 1078W—continued

NHS: Parking

Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with (a) strategic health authorities, (b) acute hospital trusts and (c) foundation hospital trusts on the potential effects on (i) income and (ii) service provision of ending the system of car park charges at NHS facilities; and if he will make a statement. [314096]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: On 29 December 2009, a consultation exercise was launched by the Department on car parking for patients and their families at national health service hospitals. The consultation allows everybody, including strategic health authorities, acute hospitals and foundation trusts, to give their opinion of the potential effects of changing the system of car park charges at NHS facilities.

The NHS Car Parking: Consultation on Improving Access for Patients is available on the Department's website at:

A copy has been placed in the Library.

NHS: Per Capita Costs

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent per capita by the NHS in (a) South Tyneside, (b) the North East and (c) England in each year since 1997. [313382]


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Mr. Mike O'Brien: The information requested is shown in the following table for the financial years 2002-03 to 2008-09, which are the only years figures are available by individual organisation.

Table 1: Spend per capita in South Tyneside, the North East and England, 2002-03 to 2008-09
£

South Tyneside North East England

2008-09

1,784

1,700

1,499

2007-08

1,691

1,612

1,428

2006-07

1,532

1,475

1,315

2005-06

1,446

1,394

1,286

2004-05

1,316

1,272

1,183

2003-04

1,124

1,127

1,045

2002-03

(1)n/a

1,086

917

1 A spend per capita figure for South Tyneside in 2002-03 is not available centrally, as the spend in this particular area cannot be disaggregated from the data held in respect of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority.
Note:
Expenditure data used in the calculation of spend per capita values is taken from the audited summarisation schedules of national health service bodies, 2002-03 to 2008-09.

The amount spent by the NHS in England per capita for 1997-98 to 2001-02 is separately shown in the following table. Expenditure figures for these years are only available at a consolidated national level, from the published NHS summarised accounts. It is not possible to disaggregate spend in specific constituencies or regions from these figures.

Table 2: Spend per capita in England, 1997-98 to 2001-02
£

England

2001-02

915

2000-01

842

1999-2000

773

1998-99

718

1997-98

663


Nurses: Schools

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects his Department's target for one qualified school nurse to be allocated to each secondary school and its cluster of primary schools to be met. [313915]

Ann Keen: Working in partnership across heath and education we have made good progress in expanding the qualified school nursing workforce.

Linking primary schools to their nearest secondary school gives about 3,000 clusters in England. The 2008 workforce census showed there were 3,643 (headcount) qualified nurses working in school health services, an increase of 1,234 or 51 per cent. since 2004. Of these, there were 1,447 (headcount) nurses with the post registration school nurse qualification. This is an increase of 591 or 69 per cent. since 2004.

Workforce data for 2009 will be available on 25 March when the NHS Information Centre publishes the 2009 Workforce Census.

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the ratio of full-time equivalent school
28 Jan 2010 : Column 1080W
nurses to pupils was in (a) North Cornwall constituency and (b) Cornwall in each year since 2004. [313916]

Ann Keen: The information requested is not held centrally.

The Department does not hold data on the ratio of school nurses to pupils. However, in the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Primary Care Trust (PCT), the number of full time equivalent qualified nursing staff in the school nursing area of work as at 30 September for each specified year, is given in the following table.

National health service hospita l and community health services-Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT: qualified nursing staff in the school nursing area of work in each specified organisation as at 30 September each year

Full time equivalent

2004

3

2005

9

2006

13

2007

15

2008

18

Note:
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT was formed in 2006 from a completer merger of West of Cornwall PCT, North and East Cornwall PCT and Central Cornwall PCT. Figures for earlier years are an aggregate of these predecessor organisation.
Source:
The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census.

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many qualified school nurses there were in (a) North Cornwall constituency and (b) Cornwall in each year since 2004. [313917]

Ann Keen: The information is not held in the format requested.

In the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Primary Care Trust (PCT), the number of qualified nursing staff in the school nursing area of work, as at 30 September for each specified year, is given in the following table.

National health service hospital and community health services-Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT : qualified nursing staff in the school nursing area of work in each specified organisation as at 30 September each year

Headcount

2004

5

2005

5

2006

17

2007

19

2008

24

Note:
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT was formed in 2006 from a completer merger of West of Cornwall PCT, North and East Cornwall PCT and Central Cornwall PCT. Figures for earlier years are an aggregate of these predecessor organisations.
Source:
The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether Professor Ian Gilmore has reported to his Department the conclusions of the review of prescription charges for patients with long-term conditions; and when he expects the review to be published. [313913]


28 Jan 2010 : Column 1081W

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Professor Gilmore has now submitted his report to the Department of Health. The recommendations are currently being considered. We will publish our response shortly.

Spina Bifida

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on research into spina bifida in each of the last three years. [313641]

Gillian Merron: The available information is shown in the following table.

Expenditure on spina bifida research
£ million

Department of Health Medical Research Council

2006-07

n/a

0.2

2007-08

0.2

0.1

2008-09

0.4

0.2

n/a = not available

The Department funds the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit. One of the unit's five work streams includes research on spina bifida. It is not possible separately to identify its cost.

In addition, the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network is providing NHS research infrastructure support to one study of relevance to the question.

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of people with spina bifida has lived to adulthood in each of the last 10 years. [313642]

Ann Keen: Information on the survival rates for people with spina bifida is not collected centrally.

Streatham

Keith Hill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Streatham constituency, the effects on that constituency of changes to his Department's policies since 1997. [313395]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government have put in place a programme of national health service investment and reform since 1997 to improve service delivery in all parts of the United Kingdom. 93 per cent. of people nationally now rate the NHS as good or excellent. The NHS Constitution contains 25 rights and 14 pledges for patients and the public including new rights to be treated within 18 weeks, or be seen by a cancer specialist within two weeks and a NHS Health Check every five years for those aged 40-74 years.

There is significant evidence that these policies have yielded considerable benefits for the Streatham constituency. For example:

Figures for November 2009 show that in Lambeth primary care trust (PCT):

91 per cent. of patients whose treatment involved admission to hospital started their treatment within 18 weeks.


28 Jan 2010 : Column 1082W

97 per cent. of patients whose treatment did not involve admission to hospital started their treatment within 18 weeks.

Between September 2001 and September 2008 the number of general practitioners (GPs) per 100,000 within Lambeth PCT has increased from 67.9 to 91.9.

Lambeth PCT opened one of London's first polyclinics-Gracefield Gardens Health and Social Care Centre in Streatham-in June 2008. From April 1 2009, Gracefield Gardens has offered extended opening hours, meaning that any member of the public will be able to see a GP or nurse between 8 am and 8 pm, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Guy' s and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust :

In September 2009, at Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, 98.3 per cent. of patients spent less than four hours in accident and emergency (A&E) from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge.

Between September 1997 and September 2008 the number of consultants at Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust has increased from 339 to 432. Between September 1997 and September 2008 the estimated number of nurses has increased from 2,158 to 3,597.

95.9 per cent. of urgent GP referrals to Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust with suspected cancer are seen by a specialist within two weeks of the referral.

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust:

In September 2009, at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, 98.4 per cent. of patients spent less than four hours in A&E from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge.

Between September 1997 and September 2008 the number of consultants at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has increased from 140 to 408. Between September 1997 and September 2008 the estimated number of nurses has increased from 1,595 to 2,507.

92.7 per cent. of urgent GP referrals to King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust with suspected cancer are seen by a specialist within two weeks of the referral.

The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust:

In September 2009, at King's The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust, 98.9 per cent. of patients spent less than four hours in A&E from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge.

Between September 1997 and September 2008 the number of consultants at The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust has increased from 68 to 103. Between September 1997 and September 2008 the estimated number of nurses has increased from 848 to 1,320.

91.4 per cent. of urgent GP referrals to The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust with suspected cancer are seen by a specialist within two weeks of the referral.

Although statistical information is not available at a local level, Streatham will have also benefited from national policies in other areas. For example:

Since 1997, gross current expenditure on personal social services has increased by around 70 per cent. in real terms with around 105,000 households now receiving intensive home care and 3,076 new extra care housing units-exceeding the original target of 1,500 new extra care units.

Other strategies currently being implemented are:


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