Agency Nurses
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Government Procurement Service Framework Agreements for agency nurses are in place; and what proportion of expenditure on agency nursing staff was made through regional frameworks in the latest period for which figures are available. [114188]
Mr Maude: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
The Government Procurement Service (GPS) has one pan-Government national framework agreement in place for the supply of agency nurses to health, central Government and wider public sector organisations.
GPS do not hold information on spend through non GPS regional frameworks.
Air Pollution
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of premature deaths due to poor air quality in each of the last 20 years, by region; and if he will make a statement. [114222]
Anne Milton: Air pollution is not recorded as a specific cause of death. However, the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants estimated(1) on the basis of 2008 data, that fine particulate air pollution (measured as PM2.5) had an effect on the mortality of the UK population equivalent to 29,000 deaths in 2008.
The Public Health Outcomes Framework, published in January 2012, contains an indicator of deaths attributable to air pollution (measured as PM2.5) and this data will be available at a higher tier local authority level.
(1) “The Mortality Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Particulate Air Pollution in the United Kingdom” is available at:
www.comeap.org.uk/documents/128-the-mortality-effects-of-long-term-exposure-to-particulate-air-pollution-in-the-uk.html
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Ambulance Services
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding he has provided to each regional ambulance trust since 2010. [113967]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not held by the Department. It is the responsibility of primary care trusts (PCTs) to commission services to meet local needs. The funding that PCTs allocate for provision of services is not broken down by service or policy area.
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many category A, B and C emergency calls were made to each regional ambulance trust in England and Wales in each month since May 2010; and how many such calls were responded to within target since May 2010. [113969]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested, as available, has been placed in table format in the Library.
The number of category A (immediately life threatening) calls made monthly to each ambulance trust in England since May 2010 is shown in table 1.
The number of category A calls made monthly to each ambulance trust in England since May 2010 resulting in an emergency response arriving at the scene of the incident within eight minutes, meeting the A8 national response target, is shown in table 2.
The number of category A calls made monthly to each ambulance trust in England since April 2011 resulting in an ambulance arriving at the scene within 19 minutes, meeting the A19 national response target, is shown in table 3.
Data on category A calls resulting in an ambulance arriving at the scene within 19 minutes are available only by financial year before April 2011 and are available as a percentage of total calls rather than the number; these data were not centrally collected on a monthly basis before April 2011. The percentage of category A calls made to each ambulance trust in England resulting in an ambulance arriving at the scene within 19 minutes in 2010-11 is shown in table 4.
Data on category B (serious but not immediately life threatening) and category C (conditions that are not immediately serious or life threatening) calls are available only by financial year. It should be noted that category B was removed from 1 April 2011. The number of category B calls made to each ambulance trust in England in 2010-11 is shown in table 5. The number of category C calls made to each ambulance trust in England in 2010-11 and 2011-12 is shown in table 5.
The number of category B calls responded to within target is not centrally collected. The percentage of category B calls responded to within 19 minutes, meeting the B19 target in 2010-11 is shown in table 4.
There is no national response time target for category C calls; since 1 October 2004, local national health service organisations have had responsibility for managing and monitoring the ways in which local services respond to category C calls.
The Department does not collect data for Wales; the ambulance service in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.
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John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes he has made to ambulance trust response targets since May 2010. [113970]
Mr Simon Burns: On 1 April 2011, a set of ambulance service clinical quality indicators were introduced. These look at performance across a range of areas, rather than a narrow focus on time. The clinical quality indicators measure both the quality of care delivered by ambulance services (reported as "Systems" measures e.g. the time to treatment) and the clinical outcomes of patients (reported as "Clinical Outcome" measures e.g. survival to discharge) who receive care from NHS ambulance services.
From 1 April 2011, target ‘B19’ (95% of category B, serious but not immediately life-threatening calls should be responded to within 19 minutes) was removed as it had no clinical justification.
A new clock start system was introduced on 1 June 2012 for Red 2 category A ambulance patients, which are calls relating to patients presenting serious but less time-critical conditions. This allows more appropriate ambulance resources to be provided to patients based on their clinical needs and will enable the prioritisation of Red 1 calls (the most time-critical calls, which include cardiac arrest patients who are not breathing and do not have a pulse, and other conditions such as airway obstruction).
For Red 2 patients, the measurement of ambulance response times will use a clock start position that is the earliest of:
(i) the point at which the chief complaint of the call has been identified;
(ii) a vehicle has been assigned to the call; and
(iii)a 60 second cap from Call Connect.
Breast Cancer
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that older breast cancer patients have their care co-ordinated by a multidisciplinary team; [114590]
(2) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that older breast cancer patients have access to a clinical nurse specialist; [114591]
(3) how many women with breast cancer aged (a) 49 and under, (b) 50 to 59, (c) 60 to 69, (d) 70 to 79, (e) 80 to 89 and (f) over 90 years old in each (i) cancer network and (ii) primary care trust have had their care co-ordinated by a multidisciplinary team in each year since 1997 for which figures are available; [114598]
(4) how many women with breast cancer aged (a) 49 and under, (b) 50 to 59, (c) 60 to 69, (d) 70 to 79, (e) 80 to 89 and (f) over 90 years old in each (i) cancer network and (ii) primary care trust were given access to a clinical nurse specialist in each year since 1997 for which figures are available. [114599]
Paul Burstow: Information concerning the number of women with breast cancer who have their care co-ordinated by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) and the number of women with breast cancer who are given access to a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is not collected.
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“Improving Outcomes in Breast Cancer”, published by the Department in 1996 and updated by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in 2002, sets out best practice guidance on the diagnosis, treatment and aftercare of women with breast cancer. The guidance is intended for women of all ages.
One of its four key recommendations is that women should be treated by an MDT. The guidance also recommends that every patient should have access to a named breast care nurse throughout treatment and into aftercare. This guidance was fully implemented in 2005.
The 2010 Cancer Patient Experience Survey showed that 93% of breast cancer patients reported having a CNS. This summer we will publish the 2011 Cancer Patient Experience Survey and will be looking closely to see where improvements have been made in the provision of CNSs.
In January 2012, NICE published the Breast Cancer Quality Standard, which sets out the markers of high-quality, cost-effective breast cancer care and contains 13 quality statements. Quality Statement 6 recommends that
“People with early invasive breast cancer, irrespective of age, are offered surgery, radiotherapy and appropriate systemic therapy, unless significant comorbidity precludes it”.
Cancer
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the NHS is using thalidomide derivatives for the treatment of cancer. [114079]
Paul Burstow: The thalidomide derivative lenalidomide is licensed for the treatment of multiple myeloma and is in use in the national health service in England for the treatment of this condition.
Care Homes
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when his Department last undertook a review of the funding of care homes for the elderly; [114216]
(2) how many care homes for the elderly have closed over the last two years. [114217]
Paul Burstow: Local councils pay for social care services for their populations, including residential care, out of their general funds, which are derived from grants from central Government and local taxation. The Department has not, therefore, reviewed the funding of care homes for older people.
Local councils are free to decide how best to contract with providers of residential care to meet the needs of their populations. The Government do not set or recommend the fee rates which local councils agree with care providers. However, councils are expected to take the cost of providing care into account when negotiating with providers.
In recognition of the pressures on the social care system in a challenging financial climate, the Government allocated an additional £7.2 billion by 2014-15 to support the delivery of social care. With an ambitious programme of efficiency, there will be enough funding available for councils to protect peoples' access to care services.
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The following tables show information provided by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on numbers of care homes that de-registered during the last two financial years. The figures include all care homes; data on homes for older people are not available separately.
It should be noted that de-registration of homes is not necessarily indicative of permanent closure or of enforcement activity by the CQC. For example, a home may temporarily de-register (and subsequently re-register) whilst undergoing refurbishment, or due to its having been taken over by a different provider.
| De-registration(1) of care homes | ||
| 2010-11 | ||
| Services | Places | |
| 2010-11 | 2011-12 | |||
| Services | Places | Services | Places | |
| (1 )De-registration of homes is not necessarily indicative of permanent closure. (2 )Until 30 September 2010, care homes were regulated under Care Standards Act 2000. From 1 October 2010, all providers were required to register under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. Source: CQC database at 7 June 2012. | ||||
Cataracts
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cataract procedures there were (a) nationally, (b) in the west midlands and (c) in south Birmingham in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012. [114890]
Mr Simon Burns: The following table provided by the Information Centre for Health and Social Care shows the number of finished consultant episodes for cataract procedures for within England, within West Midlands Strategic Health Authority (SHA), and within South Birmingham Primary Care Trust (PCT) for the years 2009-10, 2010-11 and provisional data for April 2011 to February 2012. The data for 2011-12 are incomplete and are subject to change.
| 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | |
| 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 | 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 | 1 April 2011 to29 February 2012(1) | |
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| (1) Incomplete data Note: The figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. | |||
Diabetes
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the expiration of the National Service Framework for Diabetes on the quality of diabetes services; [114881]
(2) what plans his Department has to replace the National Service Framework for Diabetes when it expires in 2013; [114882]
(3) what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the National Service Framework for Diabetes; [114883]
(4) whether he plans to undertake an assessment of the effectiveness of the National Service Framework for Diabetes. [114884]
Paul Burstow: The National Audit Office (NAO) recently published their report on “The Management of Adult Diabetes Services in the NHS”. This report stated that the Department had been successful, through the National Service Framework for Diabetes, in setting clear standards for good diabetes care and these had been reinforced by the Quality Standard set by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in 2011; but that further improvements were needed. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) held a hearing on the NAO report on 12 June 2012 and our intention is to wait for the PAC to publish its conclusions before finalising our plans in relation to diabetes. Three documents will be produced over the next several months that will offer the opportunity to publish these plans: the Diabetes action plan, the Long Term Conditions (LTCs) Outcomes Strategy (to include a diabetes companion document), and the Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Outcomes Strategy.
The Diabetes action plan will set out the actions the national health service will be taking to increase identification, improve prevention and treatment of diabetes, and will be published later this year.
The Long Term Conditions Outcomes Strategy is aimed at improving outcomes for all people with LTCs. The strategy will look at all of the aspects that impact on the lives of people with LTCs, and outline how the key players (Government Departments, local authorities, charities and individuals) can act in future in order to reduce LTC incidence, and improve outcomes for those with LTCs. We aim to publish the strategy towards the end of 2012; a companion document on diabetes will be published at the same time.
The Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes Strategy will outline how the healthcare system can improve outcomes for people with—or at risk of—CVD. The strategy will consider the whole of the patient pathway from prevention
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through to long-term care. As diabetes is a major risk factor for CVD, it will be considered as part of the strategy's development.
Drugs: Licensing
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make an assessment of whether the lessons of the thalidomide tragedy have been learned in the process of licensing new drugs; [114214]
(2) what steps he has taken to ensure that scientific reports and research published in medical journals is taken into consideration when deciding to grant licences to new drugs; and whether he is satisfied that senior officials in his Department have ownership of the process at each stage. [114215]
Mr Simon Burns: The lessons learned from the thalidomide tragedy underpin the regulation of medicines used throughout the European Union.
Following the thalidomide tragedy, the United Kingdom Medicines Act received Royal Assent in 1968. This established in legislation the need for new medicines to be licensed by a competent authority before being placed onto the market in the UK. These requirements have become established in the European directives that now regulate medicines across the EU. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the UK competent authority for licensing of new medicines.
The requirements for licensing of new medicines include detailed tests to be conducted in animals, including specific evaluation of embryo-fetal development, in addition to studies to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the product in human clinical trials.
The dossier supporting an application for a new drug is required to include the results of preclinical tests and clinical trials conducted by the applicant in the development of its product. This will include the full study reports and appendices in contrast to the summarised information typically included in published literature. The marketing authorisation application is required in legislation to include all information relevant to the evaluation of the medicinal product, whether favourable or unfavourable to the product and including completed trials concerning therapeutic indications that are not the subject of the application.
In the UK, the Commission on Safety of Drugs was established in 1963 in order to prevent a repeat of the thalidomide tragedy. This body has since been superseded by the Commission on Human Medicines which is independent of MHRA and has statutory responsibilities for advising Ministers on the safety of medicines.
Drugs: Rehabilitation
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates his Department has made of the number of people re-admitted to drug treatment programmes in each of the last five years. [114852]
Anne Milton: The following table from the ‘Statistics from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System: 1 April 2010—31 March 2011’, which was published on 6 October 2011, shows the numbers of people who represented for treatment on two or more occasions.
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| Table 6.1.1: Six year treatment population first presentation and treatment contact status at 31 March 2011 | ||||||||
| Year of first presentation | ||||||||
| Category | Prior to 2005-06 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | Total |
| Notes: 1. The figures in table 6.1.1 report all adults recorded as being in contact with drug treatment in England on or after 1 April 2005 who were still in treatment on 31 March 2011. 2. Figures for these 133,620 individuals are divided into those that were retained in treatment continuously during that period and those who received two, three or more treatment journeys (episodes of treatment) since first entering the treatment system. 3. The full table is available on page 28 of the National Treatment Agency's report, ‘Statistics from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) 1 April 2010—31 March 2011 Vol 1: The Numbers’ available at: www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/statisticsfromndtms201011vol1thenumbers.pdf | ||||||||
Food: Genetically Modified Organisms
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has received notification from the European Commission of its intentions to table a proposal not to continue its zero tolerance policy on the presence of unauthorised genetically modified organisms in food and food ingredients; if he will convene a meeting to develop a UK-wide position on this issue with the Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland administrations; if he will hold a full public consultation on any such proposal once the details have been published; and if he will make a statement setting out the Government's policy on this issue. [113974]
Anne Milton: At a Standing Committee meeting in Brussels on 7 June the Commission announced that it plans to issue a proposal for extending Regulation (EU) 619/2011, on low level presence of genetically modified (GM) material in animal feed, to include food. This regulation was adopted in July 2011 and harmonises the enforcement of legislation governing the marketing of GM animal feed throughout the European Union.
The regulation defines a “technical zero” of 0.1%, which is the lowest level where results are satisfactorily reproducible between official laboratories when appropriate sampling protocols and methods of analysis are applied. This “technical zero” only applies in certain circumstances where the GM material is approved in the country of origin and its safety is already being assessed for approval in the EU.
The Government supported the previous regulation in 2011 in line with its policy commitment that regulation of GM organisms should be pragmatic and proportionate, without compromising safety. When the Commission issues its new proposal, there will, as usual, be public consultation and the United Kingdom voting position will be determined according to established procedures, which include seeking the views of the devolved Administrations.
Food: Hygiene
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to provide information for the public on the importance of washing fruit and vegetables. [114342]
Anne Milton: We understand from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which has responsibility for this policy area that as part of its Strategic Plan, the FSA aims to ensure that:
‘Consumers have the information and understanding they need to make informed choices about where and what they eat',
‘improve public awareness and use of messages about good food hygiene practice at home'.
In November 2011, the FSA ran an advertising campaign in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (funded by Devolved Administrations) reminding consumers about the FSA's existing advice to wash raw vegetables to help minimise the risk of food poisoning. Advertising in England was not considered appropriate due to the current restrictions on paid for advertising and marketing, therefore the campaign utilised public relations and social media channels.
The campaign was in response to several outbreaks of E.coli in Great Britain and abroad, including one linked to soil on raw vegetables and another caused by contaminated sprouted seeds.
In addition to this, the FSA publishes specific advice on this subject on NHS Choices (the website that contains Government advice on healthy living) found at:
www.nhs.uk/livewell/homehygiene/pages/how-to-wash-fruit-and-vegetables.aspx
Health Services: Males
Mr Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to increase the accessibility of health advice and treatment for men. [113982]
Anne Milton: The Government want to improve access to advice and treatment for the whole population as demonstrated by the development of outcome frameworks covering the national health service, public health and social care. The Government's commissioning reforms will drive decision-making closer to patients and ensure that services are developed by those who best understand people's needs.
The Voluntary Sector Strategic Partner Programme was launched in April 2009 to improve communication and dialogue between the Department and voluntary
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sector health and social care organisations across England. The Men's Health Forum was one of the initial 11 strategic partners and remains a valuable partner as the programme moves into its fourth year. For example, the forum publishes a range of mini manual health booklets for men and runs a website for me:
www.malehealth.co.uk
Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many British nationals who used a European health insurance card to claim free or reduced cost healthcare in another EU member state received life-saving treatment in (a) total and (b) each year since its inception; and if he will make a statement; [114223]
(2) how many UK-issued European health insurance cards were in circulation in (a) total and (b) each year since such cards were introduced; and if he will make a statement; [114225]
(3) how many British nationals have used a European health insurance card to claim free or reduced cost healthcare in another EU member state in (a) total and (b) each year since its inception; and if he will make a statement. [114226]
Anne Milton: The European health insurance card (EHIC) was introduced in September 2005.
A UK-issued EHIC has a maximum validity period of five years, and entitles the holder to free, or reduced-cost, health care that is deemed clinically necessary during a temporary visit to another European economic area country.
The number of EHICs issued in each year since introduction is provided in the following table.
| EHICs issued | |
Due to the nature of the claims process between member states, the Department does not hold figures for the number of individuals treated using the EHIC or whether the treatment was considered life saving or immediately necessary but not life saving.
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on improving the response to any future cross-border public health emergency. [114511]
Anne Milton: There have been three occasions to date where the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), or other health Ministers have met with European Union counterparts to hold discussions in improving the response to any future cross border public health emergency.
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In April 2011, I met with Commissioner Dalli, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, at an informal meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council. A discussion took place around the United Kingdom’s development of a vision in preparation for the Commission’s forthcoming decision on cross border threats to health.
In July 2011, the Secretary of State for Health, met with a small number of Members of the European Parliament as part of a visit to Brussels to influence the European Parliament on a number of forthcoming legislative proposals currently being negotiated in Council and the European Parliament. He also met with Commissioner Dalli and these discussions included European Union proposals for cross border threats to health.
In June 2012, I met with other Ministers at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Luxembourg, where cross border threats to health was discussed.
Health Services: Social Enterprises
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library an up-to-date list of funding awarded by the Social Enterprise Investment Fund. [114713]
Paul Burstow: Departmental officials are currently collating the information and a copy will be placed in the Library shortly.
Health: Screening
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many men in each age group took up the NHS Health Check programme in (a) England and (b) Leeds Primary Care Trust area in each of the last five years. [114447]
Anne Milton: Primary care trusts are responsible for commissioning services to deliver the NHS Health Check programme in a way that meets the needs of their local population. They choose different approaches to deliver the checks depending on the characteristics of their local population. No assessment at a national level has been made of how many men in different age groups have taken up the offer of an NHS Health Check.
The number of eligible people between 40 and 74 offered and receiving a NHS Health Check in 2011-12 has been published on the Department's website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Statistics/Performancedataandstatistics/Integrated perfomancemeasuresmonitoring/DH_129481
Hospitals: Food
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the satisfaction levels with NHS hospital food were in each of the last five years. [114273]
Mr Simon Burns:
The Care Quality Commission's (CQC) national NHS patient survey programme asks patients who have recently used their local health services about their experiences. The CQC's annual survey of
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adult in-patients asks patients to rate the hospital food and the results for the last five years are set out in the following table.
Individual hospital trusts are encouraged to undertake their own patient experience surveys, which can include asking patients for their views on hospital food, to drive improvements in the quality of the services they deliver.
| CQC in-patient survey question: “How would you rate the hospital food?” | |||||
| Survey year: | |||||
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | |
Hospitals: Parking
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much revenue NHS hospitals in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) England received from charging disabled drivers to park in the latest period for which figures are available. [114187]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not collected.
National health service organisations are locally responsible for decisions on the provision of car parking, including charging disabled drivers.
Hospitals: Private Finance Initiative
Mr Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish his Department’s recent report on PFI hospitals. [114453]
Mr Simon Burns: The findings of the review of the organisations who were identified as having private finance initiative contracts which were affecting their ability to be sustainable providers, are currently being finalised. This continuing work includes determining how and when the funding that has been put in place for the eligible providers will be made available. In due course and when all aspects of this work have been completed, this report will be published.
Learning Disability: Tees Valley
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the standards of care provided to people with learning disabilities by Mental Health and Learning Disability NHS trusts in the Tees Valley. [114767]
Paul Burstow: All parts of the health and care system have a role to play in ensuring standards are met for the provision of high quality, safe learning disability services.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC), as the independent regulator of care quality standards, published a summary report of inspections conducted at 145 learning disability hospitals and care homes, including
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those in the Tees Valley area, on 25 June 2012. Copies of the individual inspection reports are available on the CQC website:
www.cqc.org.uk/public/our-action-winterbourne-view/review-learning-disability-services/learning-disability-reports
On 25 June 2012, we set out 14 national actions to improve the care and support for people with learning disabilities or autism and behaviours which challenge. Further information on the national actions can be found on the Department's website at:
http://mediacentre.dh.gov.uk/2012/06/25/dh-publishes-interim-report-up-standards-prevent-abuse/
Meat
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the category of desinewed meat was created in the UK; who approved its creation; and what discussions were held on the classification of this category with (a) the Food Standards Agency, (b) the European Food Standards Agency and (c) the European Commission. [114324]
Anne Milton: We are advised by the Food Standards Agency, which was established in 2000, that the term 'desinewed meat' is a commercial term originally devised by United Kingdom industry. It was first used around 1995 to describe a product with an appearance similar to that of minced meat, produced by the mechanical separation of residual meat from non ruminant animal bones and/or the mechanical removal of sinews from de-boned meat.
This product fell within the definition of 'meat preparations' in national regulations in force at the time. As this was a commercial term used by industry to describe a product, no discussions on its creation were held with the European Commission or the predecessor to the European Food Safety Authority, the Scientific Committee on Food, which was in existence at that time.
Milk: Children
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on providing free milk for children aged under five years in each constituency in each of the last five years; and how many children were provided with milk in the latest period for which figures are available. [114549]
Anne Milton: The following table shows the total amount the Department spent on providing free nursery milk for children aged under five years in each financial year from 2007-08 to 2011-12. We are unable to provide a breakdown of the total amount the Department spent in providing free nursery milk in each constituency as this information is not held centrally.
| Financial years | Department of Health total spent on providing free nursery milk to under-fives (£) |
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The Department does not hold information centrally on the number of children who have received free nursery milk. The number of children attending each child care setting varies on a daily basis. However we can provide details regarding the number of milk portions (each a third of a pint) reimbursed. The number of portions reimbursed in the month of May 2012 was 21,125,608.
NHS: Negligence
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost was of NHS litigation in each of the last five years. [114252]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not hold this information centrally, as each national health service body is responsible for handling its own litigation except where they have support from the statutory NHS indemnity schemes, which are administered by the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health. The following information is available from the NHSLA annual report and accounts:
| Payments made by the NHSLA by year and by type of liability | |||
| £ million | |||
| Payments by type of claim | |||
| Clinical | Non-clinical | Total payments | |
| Source: NHS Litigation Authority | |||
These data do not represent all litigation against the NHS. The schemes provide cover to members, primarily NHS trusts, NHS foundation trusts and primary care trusts. They do not generally cover independent, contractors (eg general practitioners in primary care). In addition, the schemes only deal with certain types of litigation, covering clinical liabilities (clinical negligence) and non-clinical liabilities (mainly employers', public, products, directors' and officers', personal accident and professional indemnity liabilities). The non-clinical schemes also operate 'excess' levels, with claims below excess funded by individual members. Data therefore only represents expenditure by the NHSLA.
NHS: Photographs
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS has been of the exhibition of photographs, currently on display in Rotherham, which has been touring NHS organisations since June 2011. [114607]
Mr Simon Burns: The information my hon. Friend has requested falls within the responsibility of NHS Rotherham, and he may wish to contact them directly.
Nurses: Temporary Employment
Andrew Gwynne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the National Audit Office report, Improving the use of temporary nursing staff in NHS acute and foundation trusts, how many strategic
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health authorities monitor the performance of NHS trusts in the use of temporary nursing staff; and what assessment his Department has made of any such monitoring. [114297]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not centrally mandate how strategic health authorities (SHAs) monitor the performance of national health service trusts in the use of temporary staff. Each SHA cluster has signed up for a target reduction of the cost of temporary staff in their region. Cluster work force directors are held to account for these through the NHS Operating Framework and the Department's work force leadership group.
Obesity
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much the NHS has spent on purchasing ambulance stretchers for obese patients in each of the last five years; [114183]
(2) how much the NHS has spent on purchasing specialist equipment in hospital wards for obese patients in each year since 1997; [114184]
(3) how much the NHS has spent on (a) making adjustments to ambulance vehicles and (b) buying new ambulances for obese patients in each year since 1997. [114185]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not hold information on national health service spend relating to equipment for patients who are suffering from obesity centrally.
The East of England NHS Collaborative Procurement Hub has been awarded a contract to provide procurement services for the ambulance service.
Organs: Donors
Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on proposals to introduce presumed consent into the organ donation system in Wales. [114086]
Anne Milton: On 12 July 2011, the Welsh Government made clear to the Government their intention to proceed with proposals to introduce an opt-out system for organ donation in Wales. Since then, the Department has been involved in discussions with the Welsh Government at ministerial and official level. It should be noted that the independent Organ Donation Taskforce examined the case for moving to an opt-out system in 2008. They recommended against it.
On 18 June, the Welsh Government published for consultation its draft Assembly Bill and explanatory memorandum seeking to introduce an opt-out system for organ donation in Wales. We are studying the Welsh Government’s proposals carefully.
Parasitic Diseases: Pigs
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of trichinosis were reported from pork products in each of the last five years. [114339]
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Anne Milton: There have been no reported cases of trichinosis in the United Kingdom in any of the last five years, since 2007.
Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to assist the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Trust to resolve problems in relation to its structural deficit in respect of its private finance initiative contract; and if he will make a statement. [114636]
Mr Simon Burns: Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Trust was identified as one of the seven organisations nationally for which the affordability of their private finance initiative contract would affect their future sustainability, and where some national solution was required to address this. We announced in February this year a package of funding of up to £1.5 billion for the seven identified organisations to be eligible for, subject to meeting a range of criteria including the clarification of the unique circumstances they face and evidencing how the organisation will provide sustainable high quality health care services going forward.
Prescriptions: Fees and Charges
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to investigate the addition of handling fees to the delivery of gluten-free prescriptions. [114812]
Mr Simon Burns: We are keeping this area of prescribing in England under review as part of a broader programme of work to make sure the national health service gets good value for money in prescribing, while ensuring patients have access to high quality, clinically appropriate care.
Publications
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation documents have been issued by his Department since May 2010. [114165]
Mr Simon Burns: From May 2010, the Department issued 55 public consultations.
Public consultations are available on the Department's website at the following link:
www.dh.gov.uk/health/category/publications/consultations/consultations-open/
Salmonella
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many cases of salmonella were traced to UK chicken eggs in each of the last five years; [114338]
(2) how many cases of salmonella were traced to UK duck eggs in each of the last five years. [114355]
Anne Milton:
We understand from the Food Standards Agency, which has responsibility for food borne disease, that the causes of individual (sporadic) cases of salmonella rarely provide sufficient evidence of their cause to enable
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an epidemiological investigation to be undertaken to identify their cause. For this reason individual cases are not routinely investigated or traced to identify the food responsible.
In order to demonstrate that cases of laboratory confirmed Salmonella infection are due to eating United Kingdom produced chicken or duck eggs it is necessary to conduct epidemiological and/or microbiological investigations which can provide the required scientific evidence of association. This is only usually possible for cases linked to recognised outbreaks of infection, which involve two or more cases affecting individuals from more than one household.
The following tables show the number of laboratory confirmed cases of salmonellosis as part of reported outbreaks of infection between 2007 and 2012 where investigations showed that infection was transmitted through the consumption of contaminated chicken or duck eggs produced in the UK.
| Laboratory confirmed cases from outbreaks of Salmonella associated with UK chicken eggs | ||||
| England and Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland | UK | |
| Laboratory confirmed cases from outbreaks of Salmonella associated with UK duck eggs | ||||
| England and Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland | UK | |
| (1) Eggs were one of more than one food vehicle reported in the outbreak. The outbreak does not specify the type of eggs reported for the outbreak. (2) Information for 2012 is provisional and covers the period from January to June 2012. | ||||
Sickle Cell Diseases: Screening
Iain Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to monitor the implementation of the 2009 transcranial doppler scanning guidance when NHS commissioning boards become fully operational in 2013; [114009]
(2) how many people have been offered a transcranial doppler scan in (a) England and Wales and (b) Milton Keynes since 2009. [114010]
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implementation of guidance on transcranial doppler scanning in (a) England and Wales and (b) Milton Keynes; and if he will make a statement. [114018]
Mr Simon Burns: Service development and implementation are a matter for local commissioners and providers.
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Data on the number of people who have been offered a transcranial doppler scan in England and Wales and Milton Keynes are not held centrally.
No assessment has been made by the Department on the implementation of guidance on transcranial doppler scanning.
St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust
Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the NHS North report, Review of St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals in Support of Foundation Trust Status. [114540]
Mr Simon Burns: We have been advised by NHS North of England that the review of St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals is currently being finalised and is due to be published shortly.
Suicide
Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department plans to publish the new suicide prevention strategy for England. [114498]
Paul Burstow: We intend to publish the suicide prevention strategy for England shortly.
Thalidomide
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the history of thalidomide and the pilot Health Grant scheme, what advance planning his Department is making for severely disabled people who may need to go into residential care homes at an earlier age than the general population; and what plans he has to (a) adapt accommodation for them to retain as much independence and dignity as possible, (b) provide staffing to care for additional needs and (c) enable them to stay in their already adapted home and buy in care. [114519]
Paul Burstow:
Each local authority is responsible for working with providers to ensure care and support is
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available to meet the needs of its local community. This includes arrangements for home care, necessary home adaptations to meet the person's assessed needs, having the appropriate levels of staffing and that staff have the right skills and training to ensure they provide appropriate care for severely disabled people.
However, the Department recognises the importance of the adult social care work force having the skills necessary to meet the needs of those who use care services and is working closely with Skills for Care, on strategic priorities linked to skills development and training, to ensure that staff are supported in exercising their roles.
The Government also recognised the pressures on the adult social care system, and took the decision to prioritise adult social care by allocating an additional £7.2 billion up to 2014-15.
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish any historical correspondence between the Chief Medical Officer and Government Health Ministers on the issue of thalidomide. [114520]
Paul Burstow: To obtain this information would incur disproportionate cost. The Department no longer holds this information centrally. It has been passed to the National Archive for storage. Their online catalogue can be accessed at:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue
Tobacco: Wales
Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to introducing bilingual government health warning notices on tobacco products sold in Wales. [114534]
Anne Milton: Legislation that sets out requirements for health warnings on tobacco products applies to the whole of the United Kingdom. The Government are not intending to amend legislation to require bilingual health warnings specifically for tobacco products offered for sale in Wales.