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9 Feb 2010 : Column 921W—continued
National Treatment Agency: Milton Keynes
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the reasons are for the reduction in the pooled treatment budget for Milton Keynes from the National Treatment Agency in 2010-11; and how much funding has been allocated to Milton Keynes from the National Treatment Agency over the next three years. [316096]
Gillian Merron: Until 2008-09 the Government's pooled treatment budget was allocated against a basket of indicators of social and economic deprivation known to reflect drug use as the best available proxy of treatment need. As a result of differences in performance between drug partnerships in getting people into treatment this funding formula was resulting in unjustifiable variations in the amount of the central contribution for each person's treatment.
2010-11 is the third year of this process which seeks to produce a fairer allocation system which more accurately matches need, activity and resources.
The new process is based on three elements:
25 per cent. of the allocation is based on the indicators underpinning the previous formula to reflect the differential cost of responding to different levels of complex need such as homelessness, mental health, family breakdown and unemployment;
75 per cent. is based on activity in the treatment system with areas being allocated a set amount per person treated effectively; and
the final element is an area adjustment figure to reflect the varying costs of delivering services in different parts of the country.
To promote an orderly alteration to service planning, the change is being introduced over three years with the annual maximum reduction set of 5 per cent. in 2008-09, 15 per cent. in 2009-10 and 30 per cent. in 2010-11.
The illustrative amount for 2010-11 was £925,000 (published January 2008). However the actual allocation is dependent on the numbers in treatment relative to the total number in treatment across all areas. Milton Keynes allocation for 2010-11, will be notified shortly.
No decisions have yet been taken on funding for the next two years.
NHS: Drugs
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what medicines appraisals have been undertaken and published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence since 6 May 2005; how many such appraisals resulted in (a) recommendation, (b) partial recommendation and (c) medicine not being recommended; what (i) indication was appraised for each medicine and (ii) the estimated eligible patient population was for each such indication; and if he will make a statement. [315896]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Information on the indication and recommendation for health technologies appraised by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence since May 2005 has been placed in the Library.
Estimates of the annual eligible patient populations for each indication for each health technology are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment his Department has made of the effects of implementation of the National Prescribing Centre guidelines on processes for local decision-making about medicines; [316546]
(2) what guidance his Department provides to primary care trusts on the prescribing of licensed oncology treatments where the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has not yet made an appraisal decision. [316547]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The National Prescribing Centre's good practice guidance, "Supporting rational local decision-making about medicines (and treatments): A handbook of good practice guidance" available at:
was reinforced by Directions which came into force on 1 April 2009. We have not made an assessment of primary care trust arrangements under the Directions.
The "Handbook" gives guidance to primary care trusts on how to make decisions about drugs or treatments, in the absence of guidance from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). We have made it clear that the absence of NICE guidance is not in itself a reason to refuse funding for a treatment.
Nurses: Milton Keynes
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Milton Keynes employ a school nurse. [316036]
Ann Keen: Information is not held in the format requested. Information is available for the number of qualified nursing staff in the school nursing area of work directly employed by national health service organisations. The following table shows the number of qualified nursing staff in the school nursing area of work in Milton Keynes primary care trust (PCT).
| NHS hospital and community health services: qualified nursing staff in the school nursing area of work as at 30 September 2008 | |
| Number | |
| N otes: 1. Qualified school nurses have a specific qualification in school nursing. 2. The NHS Hospital and Community Health Services non-medical workforce census is a large statistical exercise collecting over one million records from over 400 organisation. It is not, and is not intended to be, carried out to exact accounting standards. Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care non-medical workforce census. | |
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many qualified nurses were employed in Milton Keynes in each year since 1997. [316042]
Ann Keen: The information is shown in the following table.
Nurses: Schools
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Essex employ a school nurse. [315745]
Mr. Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
Information on school nurses is not available separately.
The following table provides individual local authority maintained primary and secondary schools in Essex who employ full-time equivalent matrons, nurses and medical staff, January 2009.
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