Fertility
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the delayed stakeholder consultation for the NICE fertility guideline to begin; and if he will make a statement. [96739]
Mr Simon Burns: This is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as an independent body.
Information on the development of the updated clinical guideline is available on NICE’s website at:
http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG/WaveR/90
Health and Social Care Bill
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances the full business case and financial details of NHS private finance initiative contracts are made publicly available in advance of such contracts being entered into; and whether these circumstances would change under the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill. [95768]
Mr Simon Burns:
There is well established guidance about the consultation process and associated information to be made available during the procurement phase of a private finance initiative scheme so that local stakeholders,
27 Feb 2012 : Column 120W
staff and their representatives are able to comment and respond to options and proposals. It is for the individual national health service procuring bodies themselves to decide on the specific format this should take and the documents this should include. Complete draft full business cases and contracts are generally not made available before contracts are entered into, as these will contain pricing and other commercially sensitive information which might jeopardise the competitive process and the achievement of value for money.
These arrangements will not be changed by the Health and Social Care Bill.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill would affect the (a) acquisition by Northumbria Healthcare Foundation Trust of North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust and (b) provision of grants by the Government to NHS hospitals for the purposes of paying PFI debts. [95769]
Mr Simon Burns: The effect of existing legislation is to allow for the takeover of a national health service trust by another NHS body. Subject to Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill would amend section 56 of the NHS Act 2006, which covers the current legislative basis for mergers involving NHS foundation trusts (NHSFTs), and make new provisions for foundation trust acquisitions, separations and dissolutions. The provisions are aimed at allowing foundation trusts to innovate by enabling organisational change to occur, removing legislative obstacles and increasing accountability by allowing a foundation trust’s governors to take decisions.
Mergers involving an NHSFT and an NHS trust would not, in the future, be subject to routine review by the Co-operation and Competition Panel on competition grounds. The Secretary of State for Health could, however, request advice from Monitor by exception, in individual cases, where he considered that such a merger may raise significant competition problems.
The Bill would not change the power of the Secretary of State to give financial assistance to NHSFTs and NHS trusts.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether services provided through the public health functions vested in (a) him and (b) local authorities would be part of the health service of England under the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill. [95770]
Paul Burstow: The Health and Social Care Bill amends the National Health Service Act 2006 to give the Secretary of State for Health the duty to take appropriate steps to protect the health of the people of England and a power to improve the health of the people of England. The Bill also gives local authorities a duty to take appropriate steps to improve the health of the people in their areas. Services or steps taken under these duties will be part of the comprehensive health service in England.
Part 2 of the Bill also confers a number of health protection functions on the Secretary of State in relation to the United Kingdom, which are wider than the health service in England. These functions are not
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included in the National Health Service Act 2006. For example, the Bill confers functions in relation to protecting the public of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from radiation.
Health Services: Armed Forces
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he plans to take to monitor the effectiveness of the e-learning package for GPs to support them in identifying and assisting veterans with mental health disorders; and if he will make a statement; [95640]
(2) how many GPs have received the e-learning package to support them in identifying and assisting veterans with mental health disorders; and if he will make a statement; [95641]
(3) what recent discussions he has had with devolved Administrations on the provision of the e-learning package for GPs to assist them in identifying and helping veterans with mental health problems; and if he will make a statement. [95915]
Mr Simon Burns: Monitoring arrangements for the veterans' health Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) e-learning package are already in place. The feedback and usage data for the package is monitored on an ongoing basis. The data are collected and reviewed by the RCGP's education team on a monthly basis and summary reports are sent to the Department of Health team at regular intervals.
The e-learning package was launched in September 2011. In the initial launch and delivery phase up to 1 February, 320 primary care clinicians (eg practising GPs and doctors in training for general practice) have accessed the package.
Although there have been no specific discussions with the devolved Administrations in relation to the e-learning package, the Department of Health (England) have been keeping representatives for the devolved Administrations regularly updated on the progress made in relation to the implementation of all of the mental health recommendations made by my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr. Murrison), which includes the e-learning package. These updates have taken the form of formal agenda items at Partnership Board meetings (where the devolved Administrations are always represented), as well as an ongoing, open dialogue via e-mail and telephone. It is also worth noting that the veterans' health e-learning package is freely accessible to all, regardless of location. Anyone that wishes to access the material simply needs to log on to the RCGP website and create a user name and password. You do not have to be a GP to do this.
Health Services: Contract
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances financial and other details of commercial contracts for the provision of health services are made publicly available in advance of such contracts being entered into; and whether these circumstances would change under the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill. [95853]
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Mr Simon Burns: The NHS Standard Contract and National Tariff publications, are mandated for use by commissioners through departmental guidance, these documents are in the public domain. The Health and Social Care Bill envisages similar arrangements continuing in future, which would remain transparent and be made binding on commissioners through secondary legislation.
It is for commissioners to decide when to tender for services. When tendering for services, commissioners must follow the Department's “Procurement Guide for Commissioners of NHS-funded services”, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library. The guidance is consistent with procurement law, including the application of the UK Public Contracts Regulations to commissioning of health services and reflects overarching principles of transparency, proportionality, non-discrimination and equality of treatment.
Where the commissioner decides to proceed with procurement this should be notified to providers via NHS Supply2Health. Commissioners' boards must act transparently and both advertise all competitive tenders and notify all new contract awards on NHS Supply2Health and where appropriate the Official Journal of the European Union.
For competitive tenders, advertising should provide sufficient detail of the services, as well as how the commissioner is to assess bids and decide which provider is awarded the contract to deliver these services.
These rules would continue to apply in the future, as a minimum.
Hepatitis: Ethnic Groups
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision he plans to make in the forthcoming national liver disease strategy to improve awareness and diagnosis of hepatitis C within the South Asian population. [96039]
Anne Milton: One of the themes of the forthcoming national liver disease strategy, which is being developed under the leadership of the National Clinical Director for Liver Disease, Professor Martin Lombard, will be improving earlier detection and diagnosis of liver disease, including hepatitis C in at-risk populations, so that appropriate treatment can be provided.
Hospital Beds
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the bed to qualified staff ratio at (a) Ipswich Hospital, (b) West Suffolk Hospital and (c) Colchester Hospital. [95837]
Mr Simon Burns: The following table shows the ratio of qualified clinical staff available beds at Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust, West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust as at 30 September 2010.
| Ratio of qualified clinical staff to ‘total available beds’ at Ipswich Hospital, West Suffolk h ospital and Colchester h ospital as at 30 September 2010 | ||
| Medical and dental staff | Non-medical clinical staff | |
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| Notes: 1. Staff in post figures used to calculate the ratio are headcount as at 30 September 2010, the latest available Workforce Census data. Total available beds figures are for the quarter July to September 2010. 2. The ‘total available beds’ figure is the average daily number of open and staffed beds open overnight in NHS hospitals in England. 3. ‘Non-Medical clinical staff’ are qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff, qualified Allied Health Professionals, qualified Healthcare Scientists, other qualified Scientific, Therapeutic and Technical staff, and qualified Ambulance staff. Sources: 1. The Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census 2. The Health and Social Care Information Centre Medical and Dental Workforce Census 3. Department of Health form KH03 | ||
Hospitals: Admissions
Dr Poulter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information his Department holds on the
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accident and emergency admission rates for each age group at
(a)
Ipswich hospital,
(b)
West Suffolk hospital and
(c)
Colchester hospital in each year since 2005; [95852]
(2) what information his Department holds on the accident and emergency admission rates at (a) Ipswich hospital, (b) West Suffolk hospital and (c) Colchester hospital in each year since 2005. [95857]
Mr Simon Burns: The following table shows accident and emergency (A&E) department attendances by age groups and those attendances that resulted in admittance to hospital for the three years 2007-08 to 2010-11. Data are not available at hospital level and so are provided for Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust and West. Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust. Data are available only from 2007-08.
| A&E attendances by specified age groups and hospital provider and those attendances that resulted in admittance to hospital for the years 2007-08 to 2010-11 | |||||||||
| Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust | Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust | West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust | |||||||
| Age /Year | No. attendances | No. admitted | % admitted | No. attendances | No. admitted | % admitted | No. attendances | No. admitted | % admitted |
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| Notes: 1. Data represent activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. 2. Data should not be interpreted as a count of people as the same person may have attended A&E on more than one occasion. 3. Assessing growth through time: A&E Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data are experimental and coverage remains incomplete. Caution should be used when comparing years, as increases are more likely to be a reflection of improvements in coverage, rather than actual increases in attendances. For example, the number of recorded attendances in 2009-10 A&E HES increased by 14% since 2008-09, compared to a 5% increase in 2009-10 QMAE attendances (the official departmental source of A&E data). 4. HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England and from some independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. Source: HES, NHS Information Centre for health and social care | |||||||||
Hospitals: Inspections
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many unannounced inspections of NHS hospitals have been carried out by the Care Quality Commission in the last 12 months. [96090]
Mr Simon Burns: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England and is responsible for assessing whether providers are meeting the registration requirements under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
The CQC has provided the following information:
The CQC does not currently record centrally whether inspections are announced or not. Going forward, the CQC is building this ability into its system and aims to be able to report on this from this summer.
The CQC's operational policy is for its inspections to be unannounced. This is the case for the vast majority of its inspections.
Leukaemia: Drugs
Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will instruct the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to reconsider the evidence of clinical effectiveness of treatments for chronic myeloid leukaemia which are not currently recommended. [96754]
Paul Burstow: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidance to the national health service on 13 January 2012 which recommends the use of nilotinib and does not recommend the use of dasatinib or high dose imatinib for the treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia who are resistant or intolerant to standard-dose imatinib.
NICE is an independent body and we have no plans to ask it to reconsider its published technology appraisal guidance.
NICE is currently appraising dasatinib, nilotinib and standard-dose imatinib for the first-line treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia.
McKinsey Consultancy
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many former employees of McKinsey consultancy are (a) senior officials or members of the board of Monitor and (b) senior officials of his Department; and what their names are. [95673]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not keep a central record of officials' previous employment but is aware of one senior civil servant currently working in the Department who was previously employed by McKinsey and Co around 10 years ago. The member of staff is Richard Murray who is currently director of Financial Planning and Allocation.
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The Department is informed by the chairman of Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) that four senior officials or members of the board of Monitor are former employees of McKinsey consultancy. They are: David Bennett (chair and interim chief executive), Sigurd Reinton (non-executive director), Adrian Masters (director of strategy) and Toby Lambert (policy director).
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what official meetings in his Department were attended by representatives of McKinsey consultancy between May 2010 and December 2011. [95674]
Mr Simon Burns: McKinsey and Company has undertaken consultancy work for the Department to support the work of the NHS Leadership Team in developing the plans for managing change. McKinsey and Company have also provided external expertise to the Department, including analytical support.
This work has led to various meetings between May 2010 and December 2011. The cost of providing details of all of these meetings would be disproportionate.
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings Ministers in his Department had with McKinsey consultancy or its representatives outside his Department between May 2010 and December 2011. [95675]
Mr Simon Burns: Details of ministerial meetings with external parties are published quarterly in arrears on the Department's website. Data from 1 January 2010 up to the end of June 2011 can be found at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/MinistersandDepartmentLeaders/Departmentdirectors/DH_110759
Data for July to September 2011 is likely to be published in early March 2012 and data for October to December 2011 is likely to be published in late spring 2012.
Medicine: Overseas Students
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his Department’s discussion document of 8 October 2007, Modernising Medical Careers, whether it remains the case that 80 per cent. of international medical graduates leave within four years of entering the NHS. [96614]
Mr Simon Burns: The data on the number of international medical graduates that leave the national health service within four years of entering the NHS is not available.
The information came from a one-off collection specifically for the Modernising Medical Careers consultation on proposals for managing applications from medical graduates from outside the European economic area.
Members: Correspondence
Mr Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to answer the letter from the hon. Member for Harrow West on the answering of a
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parliamentary question on civil servant salary arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [96589]
Mr Simon Burns: I have responded to the hon. Member’s letter today.
Mental Health Services: Hampshire
Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make it his policy to require the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust to publish the evidential basis of its conclusion that consultees wanted as much support in the community as possible as opposed to going into an acute mental health unit; and if he will require the trust to publish (a) who was consulted, (b) the wording of the questions put to them, (c) the number of (i) service users, (ii) GPs, (iii) local authorities, (iv) NHS commissioners, (v) NHS staff and (vi) members of the public who participated in the consultation and (d) the dates on and between which the survey was conducted; [96148]
(2) pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2011, Official Report, column 875W, on hospital beds: Hampshire, if he will make it his policy to require the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust to publish how many of the (a) 33 respondents who completed a feedback form, (b) 34 respondents who sent an e-mail, (c) 26 respondents who wrote a letter, (d) five respondents who made a telephone call, (e) 18 respondents who participated in a website Survey Monkey and (f) 1,085 respondents who signed a petition for its public consultation of 5 to 14 October 2011 were (i) in favour of and (ii) opposed to its planned closure of adult acute mental health beds; [96150]
(3) if he will make it his policy to require the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust to disclose the detailed daily acute adult mental health bed occupancy data on each day (a) in November 2011, (b) December 2011 (c) January 2012 and (d) since 1 February 2012 before implementing its plan to reduce the number of acute adult mental health beds; and if he will require the trust to publish such data routinely in future; [96152]
(4) if he will make it his policy to require the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust to disclose the average daily proportion of (a) detained and (b) voluntary in-patients in its adult acute mental health beds in (i) November 2011, (ii) December 2011 and (iii) January 2012. [96153]
Mr Simon Burns: This is a matter for the chair of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust. We have written to Simon Waugh informing him of my hon. Friend’s inquiry. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.
Mental Health Services: Offenders
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will place in the Library (a) responses from individual service users and (b) all other responses to his Department's offender personality disorder consultation; [96085]
(2) how many victims' groups were consulted as part of his Department's offender personality disorder consultation. [96086]
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Paul Burstow: As part of the consultation, officials met service users at three prisons, two secure hospital units and a service for managing offenders in the community. Officials also met a wide range of stakeholders, including the office of the Government's Victim's Commissioner, with a view to encouraging formal responses to the consultation. An ongoing service user involvement and listening programme is integral to the Offender Personality Disorder Implementation Plan.
The responses to the consultation on the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway Implementation Plan have been placed in the Library.
Monitor: Manpower
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people work for Monitor; how many worked there in May 2010; and what the projected number of employees of Monitor is at the end of 2012. [96164]
Mr Simon Burns: We are informed by the chairman of Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) that in May 2010, 104 people worked for Monitor, of whom 100 were on Monitor's payroll and four were secondees, contractors or agency staff. The corresponding figures for January 2012 were 159 staff, of whom 127 were on Monitor's payroll and 32 were secondees, contractors or agency staff. We are also informed that Monitor plans to have 363 staff on its payroll in December 2012.
The planned increase reflects the fact that the Health and Social Care Bill makes provision for Monitor to become the sector regulator for all providers of NHS services.
National Patient Safety Agency
Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for future consideration of surgical safety matters following the cessation of the National Patient Safety Agency; what role clinical boards will play; and if he will make a statement. [95892]
Mr Simon Burns: The activity will remain the same with an ongoing focus on surgical safety matters and continued work with the safety boards. Following the abolition of the National Patient Safety Agency, this work will be led by the patient safety function in the NHS Commissioning Board. Safety boards will continue to play the vital role of promoting a safety culture within their respective specialties and membership and promoting safer practices arising from patient safety information.
Neurology
Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average number per primary care trust was of people with a neurological condition who took part in the most recent GP Patient Survey; and in how many primary care trusts no people with a neurological condition participated in the survey. [95678]
Paul Burstow:
Question 31 in the GP Patient Survey asks respondents to indicate which medical conditions they have. The options include Alzheimer's disease or dementia and a long-term neurological problem. The
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number of respondents for England and the average per primary care trust (PCT) for these two options are shown in the following table. A table showing the respective numbers for each PCT has been placed in the Library.
| England | Average per PCT | ||
|
Patients reporting either Alzheimer's disease or dementia or a long-term neurological condition |
|||
| Source: Weighted results from GP Patient Survey, December 2011 | |||
The number of patients reporting a long-term neurological problem in the GP Patient survey for each PCT is published on the following webpage.
www.gp-patient.co.uk/results/latest_weighted/pct/
There were no PCTs with no patients reporting a long-term neurological condition.
Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the report by the National Audit Office on services for people with neurological conditions, HC 1586, what information he expects to gather from questions 32 and 34 of future GP Patient Surveys on the areas of weakness identified in the report; and how this information will be used to secure improvements in the delivery of neurological services. [95808]
Paul Burstow: We are considering the findings of the National Audit Office report on services for people with neurological conditions, and will be responding in due course.
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made on his Department’s strategy for helping people with neurological conditions; and if he will make a statement. [96766]
Paul Burstow:
Many people with long-term neurological conditions receive excellent care, but not everybody does. We want to see the national health service delivering excellent, personalised care to all people living with neurological conditions. Waiting times for in-patient
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and out-patient neurology have improved and the number of beneficial, elective neurological operations being performed has also increased.
We are committed to improving outcomes for people with neurological conditions and we are using new mechanisms to embed delivery including through National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Quality Standards, which will in future link with tariffs that will incentivise quality care; the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention Programme; personal health budgets; work on early diagnosis and any qualified provider.
In addition, the Government are developing a long-term conditions outcomes strategy that will include a set of shared or common goals that could help delay, prevent and manage long-term conditions. This will take a life course approach, focusing on the key life stages and events which affect people’s outcomes. It will be a cross-government strategy taking a generic approach but should be relevant to all long-term conditions, including neurological ones. It is being developed in co-operation with other Departments and external stakeholders. We expect to publish the strategy in late 2012.
NHS
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress his Department has made in implementing the recommendations of the Innovation, Health and Wealth report. [96764]
Mr Simon Burns: On behalf of the NHS chief executive, Sir Ian Carruthers OBE, is leading the implementation of “Innovation Health and Wealth: accelerating adoption and diffusion in the NHS”, which was published on 5 December 2011. We have established cross-sector ‘Task and Finish’ groups to lead the implementation of each recommendation and progress is on track.
NHS: Fraud
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the amount of money the NHS has lost through employee fraud in each of the last five years. [96769]
Mr Simon Burns: The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Older People
Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of his Department's expenditure was spent on services for the elderly in the latest period for which figures are available. [95644]
Paul Burstow: Around 40% national health service acute, mental health, primary care and prescribing by general practitioner is estimated to be spent on people aged 65 years and above. The proportion has been estimated for 2010-11 using the weights for age in the formula for allocations to primary care trusts. Information by age is not held centrally for other expenditure by the NHS.
In addition, adult social care is funded by local authorities, through a combination of central Government grant funding and locally-raised council tax. Provisional
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data for 2010-11 shows that local authority net expenditure on adult social care for people aged 65 and over was £7.42 billion. This represents 50.8% of total net expenditure on adult social care.
Patients: Illegal Immigrants
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to GPs and doctors on registering illegal immigrants. [95867]
Mr Simon Burns: There is no specific guidance regarding illegal immigrants. A person’s immigration status has no bearing on their eligibility to access primary care. General practitioner (GP) contractors are self-employed and are contracted through primary care trusts to provide services for the national health service. Under the terms of those contracts, GPs have a measure of discretion as to who they register as an NHS patient but they cannot turn down an applicant on the grounds of race, gender, social class, age, religion, sexual orientation, appearance, disability or medical condition.
On 18 March 2011, the Government announced a proposed review regarding charging foreign nationals for NHS services. This will include whether GP or other NHS services outside of hospitals should be charged for. The review will be thorough and consultative, and will take full account of NHS values, public health needs and humanitarian obligations. We expect that developed proposals will be ready for further consultation this year.
Patients: Interpreters
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions interpreters have been required for the purposes of treating (a) NHS patients, (b) emergency admissions, (c) maternity cases, (d) in-patient admissions and (e) out-patients in (i) Leeds North West constituency and (ii) England in each of the last five years. [95855]
Paul Burstow: This information is not held centrally. The provision of interpretation and translation services by national health services bodies is a matter for local determination.
Patients: Nationality
Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to require NHS trusts to capture nationality information of patients being treated for the purposes of (a) auditing costs through the European Health Insurance Card scheme and (b) recovering appropriate costs for the treatment of non-EEA nationals. [95893]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government have a large programme of work under way designed to improve data capture within the national health service in order for the United Kingdom to submit successful claims against other European Economic Area (EEA) countries for treatment provided under the European Health Insurance Card scheme. Nationality data are not the key factor in this regard, rather, it is the card detail and information of the insuring member state.
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With regard to treatment of non-EEA nationals, there are no plans to require NHS trusts to capture nationality data. Entitlement to free NHS hospital treatment is dependent on ordinary residence in the UK, not nationality. Where charges apply to overseas visitors to the UK the NHS is advised not to provide treatment without receiving payment in advance unless the treatment is urgent or immediately necessary. NHS bodies take measures to recover debts from those not entitled to free treatment, and many already record patient details, including nationality, in case this proves necessary to assist them in that debt recovery.
Rare Diseases: Northern Ireland
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on consultation in Northern Ireland on the UK Plan for Rare Diseases; and when he expects the consultation to commence. [96115]
Mr Simon Burns: Ministers in this Department have not had any direct discussion with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on the forthcoming consultation on the rare disease plan. Officials in the Department have worked closely with officials in the three devolved Administrations over the past year in developing the consultation document. The work to finalise the consultation document is almost at an end and we hope to be able to launch the consultation shortly.
Social Work Education Grant
Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he plans to administer the Social Work Education Grant in 2012-13. [95804]
Paul Burstow: We are currently considering arrangements for management of the education support grant for the 2012 academic year onwards and expect to make an announcement shortly.
South London Healthcare NHS Trust: Food
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost was of providing food per patient per day in the South London Healthcare NHS Trust in each of the last five years. [96426]
Mr Simon Burns: The information is not available in the precise format requested.
South London Healthcare NHS Trust was established on 1 April 2009 following a merger of three hospital trusts, namely Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust, Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust and Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust. Therefore data are not available for South London Healthcare NHS Trust for the years 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09.
The available data for South London Healthcare NHS Trust for the years 2009-10 and 2010-11 are shown in the following table.
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| Average cost of feeding one patient per day at South London Healthcare NHS Trust (£) | |
This cost relates to all meals and beverages provided to a patient in a day, not the cost of a single meal. The cost is inclusive of all pay and non-pay costs, including provisions, ward issues, disposables, equipment and its maintenance.
The information has been supplied by the NHS trust and has not been amended centrally. The accuracy and completeness of the information is the responsibility of the provider organisation.
Third Sector
Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to implement the principles of the Best Value Statutory guidance in respect of (a) giving at least three months’ notice to voluntary and community organisations and their service users when reducing or ending funding, (b) engaging with voluntary and community organisations and service users as early as possible before making a decision on the future of the service, any knock-on effects on assets used to provide this service and the wider impact on the local community and (c) making provision for voluntary and community organisations and service users to put forward options on how to reshape the service or project. [95786]
Paul Burstow: The Best Value guidance does not legally apply to central Government Departments or their Executive agencies. However, as the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government made clear in his foreword to the revised Best Value guidance, central Government Departments support the fair standards set out in the guidance and have reaffirmed their commitment to the national Compact. The issues raised are covered by the Compact.
In January, the National Audit Office published “Central Government’s implementation of the national Compact”, a report which provides commentary on the implementation of the national Compact across Government. The Department for Communities and Local Government participated fully in the National Audit Office’s review of the national Compact implementation and will be following up as appropriate the recommendations within the National Audit Office report in order to ensure that the Department continues to be a strong model of collaborative working between Government and the voluntary sector.
In health and social care, the Department of Health recognises that voluntary and community organisations play vital roles in delivering innovative, high quality, user-focused services, and achieving outcomes that can provide real social value. They have a strong track-record of designing services based on insight into clients’ needs, and are often well placed to respond flexibly to those needs. That is why the Department is committed to strengthening the role of the voluntary and community organisations and make it easier for them to be at the centre of social change.
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To that end, the Health and Social Care Bill proposes the establishment of health and wellbeing boards who will be under a statutory duty to involve people living or working in the area in the preparation of joint strategic needs assessments and the development of joint health and well-being strategies, which will underpin commissioning plans for local services. HealthWatch, which will be established as a new consumer champion at both national and local levels, will ensure patients and the public have a stronger voice in national health service and social care. Local HealthWatch will have a seat on health and wellbeing boards, ensuring that the views and experiences of patients, carers, other service users and the wider public are integral to the preparation of such assessments and strategies.
Tobacco: Sales
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure that respondents to his Department's forthcoming consultation on plain packaging declare any (a) organisational membership that includes tobacco manufacturers, (b) organisational funding from tobacco manufacturers, including the Tobacco Manufacturers Association, (c) contracts providing services to or receiving fees from the tobacco industry and (d) responses generated through campaigns funded directly or indirectly by tobacco manufacturers. [96097]
Paul Burstow: We will ask all respondents to consultation exercises on tobacco control measures run by the Department to disclose any links with, or funding received from, the tobacco industry, as we committed to do in the Tobacco Control Plan. This includes the forthcoming consultation on tobacco packaging.
We will encourage all respondents to the consultation to answer this question, in the interests of transparency. Respondents will be able to describe the nature of their link with the tobacco industry, where relevant.
We encourage the tobacco industry to respond to consultations on matters in which they have an interest, so the Government can understand their views. Responses from the tobacco industry or those with links to the tobacco industry will be considered by the Department together with other consultation responses received.
A copy of the Tobacco Control Plan has already been placed in the Library.
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many organisations engaging with his Department on the Tobacco Control plan have disclosed links or funding received from the tobacco industry since the publication of the plan. [96118]
Mr Lansley: The Government take seriously their obligations as a party to the World Health Organisation’s framework convention on tobacco control (FCTC). The FCTC places obligations on parties to protect the development and implementation of public health policy from the vested interests of the tobacco industry. As a result, neither the tobacco industry, nor any organisation with known direct links to the industry were involved in the development of “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England”, which was published in March 2011.
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None of the organisations that were engaged by the Department in the development of the Tobacco Control plan have subsequently declared to the Department any links or funding received from the tobacco industry.
The Department has had some engagement with organisations that have disclosed links with, or have received funding from the tobacco industry to discuss tobacco control, for example, in relation to the implementation of the tobacco display ban. However, none of these organisations had any direct involvement in the development of the Tobacco Control plan.
A copy of “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England” has already been placed in the Library.
Urinary System: Health Services
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the availability of data collected on (a) lower urinary tract symptoms and (b) continence services. [95976]
Paul Burstow: The Department has no such plans currently beyond what is provided in our funded National Clinical Audits on continence care and Any Qualified Provider priorities.
In addition, the NHS Outcomes Framework, published in December 2010, has “Enhancing quality of life for people with long-term conditions” as one of its outcome domains, which is relevant to a number of conditions including living with incontinence.
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has assessed the National Audit of Continence Care; and if he will make a statement. [95977]
Paul Burstow: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer the Minister of State, Department of Health, the right hon. Member for Chelmsford (Mr Burns), gave her on 22 February 2012, Official Report, columns 805-06W.
Vaccination: Schools
Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for the local co-ordination of (a) immunisation and (b) schools' vaccination programmes. [96334]
Mr Simon Burns: Primary care trusts are responsible for the local planning and delivery of national immunisation programmes, including those where immunisation takes place in schools.
Vitamin D
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance his Department has issued to primary care trusts on testing for vitamin D deficiency; [95648]
(2) whether his Department has asked the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition to consider the merits of introducing a vitamin D reference nutrient indicator for all ages as part of its review of dietary recommendations; [95649]
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(3) what steps he is taking to provide information for the public on vitamin D intake; [95650]
(4) what estimate he has made of the level of vitamin D supplements consumed by (a) children under the age of five, (b) pregnant women, (c) women aged over 65 and (d) men aged over 65 in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement; [95651]
(5) what estimate he has made of the level of intake of vitamin D supplements (a) among black and minority ethnic people, (b) in the North East, (c) in the North West, (d) in Greater London, (e) in Yorkshire and the Humber and (f) in the West Midlands; and if he will make a statement. [95652]
Paul Burstow: The Department is not providing guidance to primary care trusts on testing for or screening of vitamin D deficiency. The chief medical officer wrote to health professionals on 2 February 2012 advising on how low vitamin D status is defined, alongside the current advice that groups of people who are at risk of vitamin D deficiency should take vitamin D supplements to prevent vitamin D deficiency. A copy has been placed in the Library.
The Department has asked the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) to review the Dietary Reference Values for vitamin D across different age groups.
Information is provided to consumers about vitamin D through NHS Choices. In addition pregnant women and families with young children receiving Healthy Start vouchers also receive regular information about the benefits of Healthy Start vitamin supplements which contain vitamin D and where to get them.
The Department does not hold information on the level of vitamin D supplements consumed by black and minority ethnic people or in individual regions in the country.
The National Diet and Nutrition Survey provides information on the consumption of vitamin D supplements, but does not include information on consumption by pregnant women. Survey data showing mean vitamin D intake from supplements for young children and older adults, collected in 2008-09 to 2009-10, is provided in the following table.
| Age group | Mean vitamin D intake from supplements micrograms/day |
Separately, the Infant Feeding Survey 2005 found that up to 7% of infants aged eight to 10 months were given supplements containing vitamin D.
Healthy Start provides women and children who qualify for the scheme with coupons to exchange for Healthy Start vitamins. They contain the appropriate amounts of the recommended vitamin supplements for pregnant and breastfeeding women and children aged from six months old, including vitamin D.
The following table shows the number of bottles of vitamins distributed to those women and children on the scheme from claims we have received from primary care trusts:
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| Number of children's drops distributed to those on the scheme | Number of women's tablets distributed to those on the scheme | |
Vulnerable Adults: Protection
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to place adult safeguarding boards on a statutory footing; and if he will make a statement; [96458]
(2) if he will take steps to ensure that organisations involved in safeguarding make a co-ordinated contribution to local adult safeguarding work; and if he will make a statement. [96459]
Paul Burstow: We intend to put safeguarding adults boards on a statutory footing, requiring membership from key organisations. We intend that legislation will set out boards' core membership, consisting of the local authority, the national health service and the police. This will ensure core members meet regularly to discuss and act upon local safeguarding issues. It will be for individual boards to decide upon their own membership beyond these core requirements. We also intend that the legislation will set out that the statutory board must publish a safeguarding plan and to report annually on its progress against that plan, to ensure that agency's activities are effectively coordinated.
Coordinated multi-agency working is critically important in safeguarding adults boards. However, each separate organisation involved in delivering care also needs to remember that it is their responsibility to look after the people in their care effectively, using staff training, internal reviews and investigations, disciplinary procedures, and quality assurance and governance processes as required.
Education
Domestic Violence
6. Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent estimate he has made of the number of children at risk of being exposed to domestic violence. [96388]
Tim Loughton: The Government do not collect data on the number of children at risk of being exposed to domestic violence. We recognise, however, that children who are victims of domestic violence, including those who have witnessed violence in the home, will need targeted support from a range of agencies to ensure their safety and welfare. We expect schools and local authorities to have developed local protocols that focus on the needs and requirements of such children.
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22. Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many two-year-olds will be eligible for 15 hours a week of free nursery care in (a) West Worcestershire constituency, (b) the west midlands and (c) England by 2015. [96404]
Sarah Teather: We plan to introduce a legal entitlement to free early education for around 130,000 disadvantaged two-year-olds in September 2013. We will extend this to around 260,000 two-year-olds in England—40%—from September 2014. From 2013, around 16,800 two-year-olds in the west midlands and 1,100 in Worcestershire are likely to be eligible. We are considering eligibility criteria for the second phase, and will consult in due course.
School Curriculum: Business Links
21. George Freeman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to promote science and closer links with high-tech businesses in the school curriculum. [R] [96403]
Mr Hayes: The Government welcome the involvement of business in supporting science teaching in schools. We are slimming down the National Curriculum which will free up teachers to work with business to develop innovative curricula and support their teaching. New schools such as university technical colleges and studio schools are already working with high-tech businesses to do this and we encourage more schools to follow their lead.
Parenting Skills Advice
23. Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he has taken to provide parenting skills advice. [96406]
Tim Loughton: On 18 October the Department announced the trial of universal parenting classes for mothers and fathers of children 0 to five years in three areas: Middlesbrough, High Peak and the London borough of Camden.
Parents who attend good parenting classes find they can be life changing—helping them to communicate well with their children and encourage good behaviour. We want to encourage strong and confident parenting, and normalise parents seeking help to strengthen their parenting skills.
Care Proceedings
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications for care or supervisory proceedings were made in each local authority area between April and December 2011. [96584]
Tim Loughton: The Department for Education does not hold this information. I asked Anthony Douglas, chief executive of CAFCASS, to write to the hon. Member. He has now done so and a copy of his letter has been placed in the House Libraries.
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Letter from Anthony Douglas, dated 22 February 2012:
I am writing to you in order to provide answers to the Parliamentary Question that you tabled recently.
Please see the following table which indicates the care demand by local authority between April 2011 and December 2011.
| Local authority | April to December 2011 |
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| Note: The figures in the table are provided from the CAFCASS national case management system (CMS). The unit of measurement is a Care application, upon its receipt by CAFCASS from the court and its entry into CMS. An application can involve multiple children. CMS is a live system and any late entries will be accounted for at the time of release of subsequent updates to this data. | |