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15 Mar 2010 : Column 628W—continued
Cancer: Medical Treatments
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on its Health Technology Appraisal process in respect of rarer cancers. [322517]
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the effect of the end of life criteria used by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on the level of patient access to treatments for rarer cancers; [322523]
(2) whether his Department provides guidance to National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence appraisal committees on the application of its end of life criteria. [322527]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The explicit criteria introduced in January 2009 by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to inform consideration of certain treatments that can extend life near the end of life, have been a factor in NICE's appraisal of several medicines. Further information can be found in the written answer I gave the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 8 February 2010, Official Report, columns 708-10W.
The application of appraisal criteria to individual technology appraisals is a matter for NICE as an independent body. The Department has not issued any guidance to NICE appraisal committees on this matter.
Carbon Monoxide: Poisoning
Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to encourage awareness of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning among ambulance, paramedic and accident and emergency staff in the NHS. [322246]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Awareness of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning is important for all clinicians in the national health service and the NHS locally should reflect this in guidance to staff and consider the need for appropriate training as part of their workforce plans.
Care Quality Commission: Public Appointments
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what timetable has been set for the appointment of a new Chair of the Care Quality Commission. [322235]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The recruitment process is under way, in line with the procedures set out in the Commissioner for Public Appointments' guidance for such appointments.
The appointment is subject to a pre-appointment hearing by the Health Select Committee. It is, therefore, likely that the timing of the general election may affect the timetable for the appointment.
Community Health Services
Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation he plans to undertake in developing the Transforming Community Services programme. [322047]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Department works closely with a wide range of stakeholders to co-produce Transforming Community Services policies and guidance. For example, the programme's working groups include representation from strategic health authorities, clinicians and professional bodies.
Dental Services: North Yorkshire
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) gross expenditure including dental charges and (b) net expenditure was in respect of NHS general dental services in North Yorkshire and York in each year since 1996-97. [322129]
Ann Keen: Since 2006-07, data on primary dental care expenditure can be derived from primary care trust (PCT) financial records. This data reflects the new contract framework for primary dental care services introduced from 1 April 2006, based on the PCT areas introduced from 1 October 2006. It takes account of all relevant service costs for primary dental care services including those provided by dental providers under general dental service (GDS) or personal dental service (PDS) contracts. It is not directly comparable with the available pre-2006 data. Expenditure on primary dental care services in the North Yorkshire and York PCT since 2006-07 is shown in the following table.
| Expenditure on primary dental care services in North Yorkshire and York PCT | |||
| £000 | |||
| Gross expenditure | Dental charges paid by patients | Net expenditure | |
| Source: Calculated from details of gross primary dental care expenditure, and income from dental charges, recorded in the notes to the PCT's accounts. | |||
Prior to April 2006, most primary dental care services were provided under former GDS arrangements. These were demand led services where the pattern of dental expenditure was largely determined by where dentists chose to practice and how much national health service work they chose to undertake.
The NHS Information Centre for health and social care holds local-level information on the expenditure for NHS primary dental care under the former GDS and PDS arrangements. Expenditure information for the financial years 1997-98 to 2005-06 is available for the following former PCTs: Selby and York; Hambleton and Richmondshire; Craven, Harrogate and Rural District; and Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale. This information is contained in the document 'Expenditure on General Dental Services and Personal Dental Services in North Yorkshire, 1997-98 to 2005-06', which has been placed in the Library.
Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) disciplinary and (b) capability procedures have been (i) initiated and (ii) completed in his Department in each of the last five years; how much time on average was taken to complete each type of procedure in each such year; how many and what proportion of his Department's staff were subject to each type of procedure in each such year; and how many and what proportion of each type of procedure resulted in the dismissal of the member of staff. [320630]
Phil Hope: The Department's disciplinary and capability procedures are followed as part of its absence management; poor performance and misconduct policies.
Prior to 2006 records were not held centrally for the core Department, and are not available. Since then the core Department has not dismissed any civil servants for poor performance, although other sanctions, including demotion, have been used. In the last year fewer than five individuals have been dismissed from the core Department for reasons other than performance.
The following table sets out the information for those staff who have been issued a disciplinary penalty under the three disciplinary streams. All action is undertaken within the prescribed timescales within the Department's policies.
| Total staff year average | Performance | Absence | Conduct | |
Doctors and Nurses: Greater Manchester
Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) doctors and (b) nurses were employed in the NHS in the city of Manchester in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2009. [322293]
Ann Keen: The data is not available in the format requested. The information that is available is shown in the following table:
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