Cancer: Scotland
Mr McKenzie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues to local commissioners in England on funding cancer treatments for patients normally resident in Scotland. [167302]
Anna Soubry: None. Responsibility for commissioning cancer services for people ordinarily resident in Scotland rests with the national health service in Scotland, which is able to commission services from English providers.
Childbirth
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many births took place in each obstetric-led NHS maternity unit in the most recent year for which figures are available. [167072]
Dr Poulter: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Information on the number of deliveries by type of hospital ward for each national health service trust and foundation trust in England in 2011-12 has been placed in the Library. These data do not represent the number of births as more than one baby may have been delivered in a delivery episode.
Children: Mental Health
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his latest estimate is of the number of school age pupils who have been prescribed drugs for (a) depression, (b) behaviour control and (c) mental health problems in each year since 2010; and if he will make a statement. [166988]
Dr Poulter: Information is not available on the number of prescriptions issued, only on prescriptions actually dispensed. Neither is information collected on the age of the patient nor the condition for which an item dispensed was prescribed.
Congenital Abnormalities
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will collect data centrally on the diagnosis of fetal valproate syndrome; [166858]
(2) if he will collect data centrally on the diagnosis of fetal valproate syndrome where there is also a diagnosis of (a) spina bifida, (b) neural tube defects, (c) cardiac and heart malformations, (d) kidney malformations and (e) cleft lip or palate; [166859]
(3) if he will collect data centrally on the diagnosis of children with fetal anti-convulsant syndrome between 1989 and 2012; [166860]
(4) how he plans to collect data centrally on the diagnosis of fetal valproate syndrome and sodium valproate in pregnancy. [166861]
Dr Poulter: There are no plans to collect data centrally on the diagnosis of fetal valproate syndrome, the diagnosis of children with fetal anti-convulsant syndrome between 1989 and 2012 or the diagnosis of fetal valproate syndrome and sodium valproate use in pregnancy.
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The Health and Social Care Information Centre advise their clinical coders are unable to identify these conditions using the ICD10 classification of diseases that is used in the Hospital Episode Statistics. Therefore they are unable to supply any data for these questions.
Diabetes
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people resident in (a) Dudley North constituency, (b) Dudley Borough, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England were diagnosed with diabetes in each of the last three years. [167150]
Anna Soubry: Data are not available to answer this question accurately.
Participation in the National Diabetes Audit (NDA), which audits diabetes registrations in primary and secondary care, is not mandatory. The NDA does not have 100% coverage or participation and therefore cannot accurately provide the information required. The 2011-12 data have not yet been published. The 2008-09 NDA data are currently undergoing data migration and cannot be provided. Therefore, NDA data are only available for 2009-10 and 2010-11.
The following table shows the number of people within the NDA1, registered in primary and secondary care, that were newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2009-10 and 2010-11 in (a) Dudley Primary Care Trust (PCT), (b) the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority and (c) England.
NDA audit year | ||
Geographical area | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
1 The NDA does not have 100%coverage, so these figures will be an incomplete count of people. |
E. coli
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an assessment of recent research by Professor Peter Collignon of the Australian National University into the relationship between human deaths from E. coli and third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic use in poultry farming. [167246]
Anna Soubry: The Government are aware of the research from Professor Collignon and colleagues which is a useful addition to the scientific evidence base. However, the pattern of usage of antibiotics in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands at the centre of the study was different.
We will continue to keep the evidence under review as part of the implementation of the Five Year UK Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy, which will be published very shortly.
Food: Testing
Paul Blomfield:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which local authorities did not report any food standards sampling in 2011-12 via the Local Authority Enforcement Monitoring System, excluding those that
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took no samples at all; how many samples each local authority took; how many were submitted to the local authority's appointed public analyst; how many of those submitted to the public analyst were taken as part of a Food Standards Agency-funded project; and how many were paid for by the local authority. [166862]
Anna Soubry: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) advise that the following local authorities did not report any food standards sampling in 2011-12 via the Local Authority Enforcement Monitoring System (LAEMS):
Bexley
Birmingham
Bromley
Camden
Central Bedfordshire
Leicester City
Limavady
Portsmouth
Sefton
Southend
Sutton
Swindon
Telford and Wrekin
All of these authorities reported microbiological samples via LAEMS and/or reported food standards sampling through a separate FSA funded project.
A table has been placed in the Library which shows how many food standards samples each local authority reported via LAEMS, together with how many food standards samples each local authority reported through an FSA-funded project. The specific projects funded by the FSA were delivered in some cases by regional groupings of authorities and in these cases the number of samples taken by individual authorities is not available.
All of the reported food standards samples would have been submitted to the local authority's appointed public analyst. A total of 5,072 food standards samples were funded by the FSA, all other food standards samples would have been paid for by the local authority.
For some local authorities, the FSA funded sampling figure is larger than the number included in the LAEMS report. The difference will be due to the LAEMS reports only including samples for which the result was received before 31 March 2012.
Health
Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's December 2012 interim report and its findings regarding Public Health Responsibility Deals; [166386]
(2) what steps he has taken to evaluate the conclusion of the research carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that voluntary agreements which offer incentives, such as Public Health Responsibility Deals, achieve higher success rates. [166387]
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the findings of research by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which found that incentives within voluntary public health agreements ensure a better rate of success; and if he will make a statement. [166581]
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Anna Soubry: The scoping review from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine will help inform the main evaluation which it is currently undertaking. The evaluation will help further develop the Responsibility Deal.
Health Services: Surrey
Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what NHS spending per head of population in Surrey was in each of the last five years. [166776]
Dr Poulter: The expenditure per head for Surrey Primary Care Trust (PCT) in each of the last five financial years is shown in the following table:
Surrey PCT | |
£ | |
Health Visitors: Bury
Mr Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2013, Official Report, column 360W, on health visitors: Bury, when NHS England last sought assurance from its area team that the core national service requirement was being met in Bury. [166631]
Dr Poulter: NHS England has advised the Department that it has a mechanism through which it assures ongoing delivery of its national service specification for health visiting services. NHS England's Greater Manchester Area Team met, on 8 July 2013, with representatives of Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, which provides health visitor services in Bury. The Area Team has confirmed that services in Bury are being delivered in line with the service specification.
Health: Restaurants
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to bring forward a franchise responsibility deal to allow quick service restaurants owned by franchisees to participate in initiatives to improve public health; and if he will make a statement. [167567]
Anna Soubry: The responsibility deal currently has a number of partners that operate on a franchise basis, including Subway, Burger King and Pizza Hut, and their commitments cover all franchisees.
Additionally, local franchise-owners can choose to sign up as local partners to the national responsibility deal. In April, the Department launched a local toolkit that includes a number of simple actions that local food/catering businesses can take to provide healthier offerings for their customers. Further information on the toolkit and becoming a local partner is available at:
https://responsibilitydeal.dh.gov.uk/local-partners/
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Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many quick service restaurant chains have endorsed public health responsibility deals; which such chains have committed to deals that deliver a healthier product to consumers; and if he will make a statement. [167568]
Anna Soubry: 11 quick service restaurants are currently signed up to the Public Health Responsibility Deal through its Food Network and have made commitments to help consumers improve their diet.
Hepatitis: Prisoners
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to improve prisoners' awareness of hepatitis C and the testing and treatments available to prisoners; [166903]
(2) what assessment he has made of the prevalence of hepatitis C in prisons in England. [166904]
Norman Lamb: Since 1 April 2013, NHS England has commissioned public health services for prisoners, including testing and treatment for hepatitis C (HCV). This will reduce variation and improve the quality of testing and treatment provided in prisons.
In May 2013, Public Health England (PHE) published ‘An audit of hepatitis C services in a representative sample of English prisons’, which showed that HCV testing was offered in 95% of prisons. A copy has been placed in the Library.
Data on HCV prevalence in prisons are limited because not all prisoners are tested and not all testing is recorded nationally. In 2012 PHE's Sentinel Surveillance of blood-borne virus (BBV) testing showed that the proportion of male prisoners testing positive had undergone a steady decline each year since 2008, while the proportion of women testing positive had plateaued. Between 2008-12, 25% of female prisoners who were tested had a positive result, compared to 11% of male prisoners who were tested.
With respect to improving awareness, NHS England is working with partners to develop a range of material to advise and inform prisoners and staff about risk factors for infection, infection control and testing and treatment programmes. In 2012, a DVD entitled “Bleach Works” was disseminated to all English prisons, showing prisoners how to use disinfectant tablets to protect themselves from BBV, including HCV.
Hospitals: Climate Change
David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the costs to UK hospitals of complying with climate change legislation; and if he will make a statement. [166943]
Dr Poulter: The Department does not currently undertake an assessment of the costs to hospitals in the United Kingdom of complying with climate change legislation. However, an assessment would be undertaken locally by individual national health service trusts to deliver a suitable strategy with respect to climate change legislation within their own organisation.
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The Climate Change Act 2008 and the Department's Climate Change Plan 2010 together with the Adaptation Plan and the Carbon Reduction Delivery Plan all form part of the strategy for improving energy efficiency and the effects of climate change.
The Department is committed to supporting the NHS to meet the requirements of the Climate Change Act. Being energy efficient reduces estates costs and allows trusts to be efficient and reinvest efficiency savings back into front line care. On 24 January 2013, the Department launched a £50 million Energy Efficiency Fund to enable the NHS to go further, faster. However, this does not include similar types of schemes which trusts will have funded from their own resources.
NHS organisations are responsible for the procurement of their facilities, including addressing climate change legislation and sustainability matters. Overall, the NHS is becoming more sustainable. The carbon emissions per area (kilogrammes carbon per square metre) of the NHS in England has reduced by 14% between 1999-2000 and 2010-11, which is the latest available data. Improved energy efficiency and more sustainable practices have resulted in a reduction in carbon emissions per area.
Judicial Review
Mr Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many applications for judicial review have been brought against his Department and the arms-length bodies for which he is responsible in each of the last 10 years; whether the decisions challenged in such applications were upheld; and if he will make a statement. [166473]
Dr Poulter: The following table shows the number of judicial review cases brought against the Department and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the last 10 years. Information on whether the decisions challenged in these applications were upheld is not held centrally.
Department of Health | MHRA | |
Five of the Department's arm's length bodies (ALBs) have had applications for judicial review brought against them during the last 10 years. The following tables show how many applications have been brought against them and whether the decisions challenged in such applications were upheld.
ALB: Health Protection Agency (HPA) and Public Health England (PHE) | ||
Number of applications for judicial review | Number of decisions challenged where applications upheld | |
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1 One application was made in 2009. The decision challenged in the application was partially amended by HPA during the review proceedings but the decision was—to the extent not amended—upheld both by the Administrative Court and the Court of Appeal. 2 One application has been made in 2013. The case is still at the permission stage and was made prior to 31 March 2013 before the formation of PHE. |
ALB: Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority | ||
Number of applications for judicial review | Number of decisions challenged where applications upheld | |
ALB: NHS Litigation Authority | ||
Number of applications for judicial review | Number of decisions challenged where applications upheld | |
1 One ongoing. |
ALB: Monitor | ||
Number of applications for judicial review | Number of decisions challenged where applications upheld | |
ALB: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence | ||
Number of applications for judicial review | Number of decisions challenged where applications upheld ' | |
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Legal Opinion
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he takes to enforce an agreed period of time for the compilation of external enquiries undertaken for his Department by legally qualified persons. [166513]
Dr Poulter: Good practice guidance on the conduct of an independent investigation of adverse events in mental health services was published in 2008. The former strategic health authorities were responsible for commissioning independent investigations and the guidance describes the circumstances under which an investigation might be conducted, timing, the investigation process and publication and distribution of the investigation report.
The responsibility for commissioning independent investigations passed to NHS England on 1 April 2013.
Guidance published by NHS England in March 2013 gives six months as a guide to the timeframe in which independent investigations should be completed.
Maternity Services
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many serious incidents occurred in each NHS maternity unit in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what definition his Department uses of a serious incident. [167073]
Dr Poulter: Information on the number of serious incidents in each national health service maternity unit is not collected centrally.
The definition of a serious incident is set out in the National Patient Safety Agency's (NPSA) “National Framework for Reporting and Learning from Serious Incidents Requiring Investigation”, which was published in 2010. This document is available on the NPSA's website at:
www.nrls.npsa.nhs.uk/resources/?entryid45=75173
and defines a serious incident requiring investigation as:
An incident that occurred in relation to NHS-funded services and care resulting in one of the following:
unexpected or avoidable death of one or more patients, staff, visitors or members of the public;
serious harm to one or more patients, staff, visitors or members of the public or where the outcome requires life-saving intervention, major surgical/medical intervention, permanent harm or will shorten life expectancy or result in prolonged pain or psychological harm (this includes incidents graded under the NPSA definition of severe harm);
a scenario that prevents or threatens to prevent a provider organisation's ability to continue to deliver healthcare services, for example, actual or potential loss of personal/organisational information, damage to property, reputation or the environment, or information technology failure;
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allegations of abuse;
adverse media coverage or public concern about the organisation or the wider NHS;
one of the core set of ‘Never Events’ as updated on an annual basis.
Meningitis: Vaccination
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the effect that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's decision on the meningitis B vaccine will have on long-term social care costs; [167172]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effect of the interim position from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on a meningitis B vaccine on innovation in this area. [167174]
Anna Soubry: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has not yet finalised and submitted its position statement on meningococcal B vaccine to the Department. Therefore, we have not yet made any such assessments.
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the date and meeting agendas of any discussions between (a) the Department of Health Immunisation Branch and the Treasury and (b) his Department, the Executive agencies for which he is responsible, and the Treasury on meningitis B since October 2012. [167180]
Anna Soubry: Officials in the Department have held routine meetings with HM Treasury since October 2012 to discuss the spending review settlement for 2015-16, including for national immunisation programmes. However, there have been no specific meetings about meningococcal B vaccine between the Department, its Executive agencies and the HM Treasury since October 2012.
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to review the potential introduction of a meningococcal B vaccination programme; and when he intends to make a copy of this request available to the public. [167181]
Anna Soubry: On 10 June 2013, the Secretary of State for Health wrote to the acting chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) requesting the JCVI's recommendation on the introduction of a routine national meningococcal B vaccination programme.
A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library and it will be published on the GOV.UK website in due course.
Mental Health Services
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much funding mental health services have received in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust and (d) Durham in each of the last four years; [166761]
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(2) what steps he is taking to improve choice in the provision of services for mental health service users; [166763]
(3) what steps he is taking to improve the commissioning of mental health services. [166764]
Norman Lamb: The Government have made a clear commitment in the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to give mental health equal priority with physical health.
We have set out the outcomes that we expect the national health service to achieve in the NHS Outcomes Framework and will hold the NHS to account for the quality of services and outcomes for mental health patients.
The Implementation Framework for the Mental Health Strategy also makes clear our expectation that improving the commissioning of mental health services should form a vital element of clinical commissioning groups’ (CCGs) and NHS England's work to improve outcomes for people with mental health problems.
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The application process for CCG authorisation required organisations to demonstrate that they have sufficient planned capacity and capability to commission improved outcomes in mental health.
From April 2014 patients referred to mental health services will be given the same choice as those referred to other elective services.
From April 2013 they will have the right to choose the team which provides their care within their mental health provider and from April 2014 patients will have the right to choose any clinically appropriate provider in England for a first out-patient appointment. Information on funding is not available in the form requested. The following table provides information on reported investment in mental health services by primary care trusts (PCTs) covering the areas requested. Prior to 2013-14, PCTs were responsible for commissioning services to meet the health care needs of their local populations, taking account of national and local priorities.
Reported investment for working age adults | ||||
Total reported investment (£000) | ||||
2011-12 | 2010-11 | 2009-10 | 2008-09 | |
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1 Shown as Stockton on Tees PCT for 20098-10 Notes: 1. These surveys were commissioned annually by the Department of Health from Mental Health Strategies and published on the Department's website at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/investment-in-mental-health-in-2011-to-2012-working-age-adults-and-older-adults 2. These survey figures were based on details submitted by each organisation on their reported investment in services and consequently may not match actual outturn figures reported in annual their accounts. 3. The surveys were non-mandatory and include some estimated data. 4. Data cover services provided for working age adults (aged 18 to 64). Sources: National Survey of Investment in Mental Health Services, Mental Health Strategies 2011-12 National Survey of Investment in Mental Health Services, Mental Health Strategies 2010-11 National Survey of Investment in Mental Health Services, Mental Health Strategies 2009-10 National Survey of Investment in Mental Health Services, Mental Health Strategies 2008-09 |
Midwives
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) in what proportion of cases during labour a 1:1 ratio of midwives to expectant mothers was achieved in each NHS maternity unit in the most recent year for which figures are available; [167070]
(2) how many women transferred from each NHS maternity unit to another facility during labour in the most recent year for which figures are available. [167071]
Dr Poulter: This information is not collected centrally.
NHS
Mr Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) NHS trusts and (b) NHS foundation trusts there are; how many NHS trusts are expected to satisfy the requirements for conversion to foundation status by 2014; and if he will make a statement. [166660]
Anna Soubry: At 23 July, there are 100 national health service trusts and 147 foundation trusts.
The 2014 deadline for reaching foundation trust status has done much to galvanise the NHS trust sector and drive improvement. However, in light of Robert Francis' report, we have allowed the NHS Trust Development Authority (NHS TDA) to agree trajectories for NHS trusts to reach foundation trust status that go beyond 2014 on a case by case basis. In so doing, we will ensure that the primary focus of the NHS TDA and of NHS trusts themselves is on improving the quality and sustainability of services for patients.
The NHS TDA is working with 100 non-foundation trusts. 15 of those trusts have foundation trust applications which are currently with Monitor for assessment. A further 16 NHS trusts have submitted applications which are currently being considered by the NHS TDA. Work is continuing but there is potential for a further 12 applications to reach the NHS TDA by April 2014. 14 trusts are currently pursuing a transaction to achieve sustainability. The NHS TDA is working with the remaining 43 NHS trusts to establish achievable plans for sustainability.
NHS: Procurement
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are used to decide on the procurement of universal sample containers for urine sample collection and transport. [166636]
Dr Poulter: The Department does not hold information about the criteria used to decide on the procurement of universal sample containers for urine sample collection and transport.
The Department does not have a direct role in the purchasing decisions of the national health service. These fall directly to the individual trusts, which are responsible for running their individual procurements based on local requirements.
Nurses: Training
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his Statement of 26 March 2013, Official Report, column 1473, what minimum period of time work nurse trainees will be required to complete as support workers to healthcare assistants. [167078]
Dr Poulter: In response to Recommendation 187 from the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry, the Government asked Health Education England (HEE) to pilot and evaluate aspiring nurse students undertaking up to a year as a support worker before recommending how it should be taken forward.
HEE is in the process of designing a pilot to commence September 2013 whereby it is anticipated that up to 200 participants will be recruited to care posts to gain care experience of up to one year duration. The pilot will examine how effective the proposal of gaining caring experience of up to a year is, as proposed by the Government.
Nurses: Vacancies
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the three-month vacancy rate was for nurses in each specialist group in each year since 2010. [167029]
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Dr Poulter: There is no central collection of the number of vacancies for nurses in each specialist group. Following the publication of the Fundamental Data Review in March 2013, the national health service vacancy collection, which had previously been suspended from 2011, has now been discontinued. In 2010 the three-month vacancy rate for qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff was 0.6%. The three-month vacancy rate was not collected for specialist nurses.
Organs: Donors
Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the Welsh Government's decision to introduce presumed consent will result in administrative changes to the way the organ donation system operates in England; [166831]
(2) whether the Welsh Assembly decision to introduce presumed consent will result in any additional costs to the UK Government. [166837]
Anna Soubry: Officials from the Department of Health have been working with officials from the Welsh Government and those of NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), whose specialist nurses are responsible for approaching the families of potential organ donors, to identify the operational implications of the legislation both in Wales and on the rest of the United Kingdom. Organs are matched and allocated nationally by NHSBT and there is no intention to change the system. Organs donated in Wales may, as they do now, go across the border into England to be used and equally, organs donated in England will continue to be used in Wales.
The move to a deemed consent approach in Wales necessitates the development of a system to record the wishes of those who do not wish to be organ donors. This needs to operate alongside the existing opt-in NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR).
The costs of operational changes resulting from the Welsh organ donation legislation and the training of clinicians is expected to be borne by the Welsh Government, or funded from existing grants to NHSBT. It has been agreed that a new ODR to support both opt-in and opt-out decisions will be developed to respond to the requirements of the Welsh legislation, replacing the existing ODR and to support the new UK strategy, ‘Taking Transplantation to 2020’, published on 11 July 2013. All UK health administrations will contribute to the development of this new Register, with the Welsh Government providing the majority of the funding.
Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects of presumed consent organ donation in Wales on (a) English prisoners in Welsh prisons, (b) individuals who normally reside in England who die in intensive care in Wales and (c) individuals who normally reside in Wales who die in intensive care in England. [166832]
Anna Soubry: English prisoners in Welsh prisons cannot be considered ordinarily resident in Wales during their time in prison, as they cannot be stated to be residing there through choice. People in prison will not therefore have their consent to organ donation deemed.
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The Human Transplantation (Wales) Bill only applies to people over the age of 18, who are ordinarily resident in Wales. Individuals who normally reside in England who die in intensive care in Wales will not therefore be subject to the new arrangements in Wales.
The Human Tissue Act 2004 will apply to a Welsh resident who dies in intensive care in England. This will mean that if they have expressed a wish to opt in, the family will be sensitively encouraged to accept their decision. If no wish has been expressed, it would be for the nominated representative or person given highest ranking in the Human Tissue Act 2004 hierarchy of consent who would be asked to give or withhold consent for donation. If a person has registered a wish not to be a donor under the new arrangements in Wales, that decision would be valid and would be respected, regardless of where in the United Kingdom the person has died.
Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential effects on organ donation in England of the introduction of presumed consent for organ donation in Wales. [166833]
Anna Soubry: The Explanatory Memorandum accompanying the Human Transplantation (Wales) Bill suggests that a change in the law could equate to a further 15 donors each year in Wales donating, on average, three organs to the United Kingdom pool for transplantation.
Across the UK, we have made considerable progress over the last five years with a welcome 50% improvement in organ donor rates. We will be monitoring the impact that the new legislation has on donor numbers carefully.
Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Welsh Assembly decision to introduce presumed consent will require any changes to legislation by the UK Government. [166838]
Anna Soubry: The Human Transplantation (Wales) Bill makes consequential amendments to the Human Tissue Act 2004 to reflect the new system of deemed consent in Wales.
We are also considering making an Order under section 150 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 to make further amendments to the Human Tissue Act 2004 to enable organs donated in Wales under the deemed consent provisions to be used in England and Northern Ireland. Amendments will also be made to ensure that where a person appoints a nominated representative in Wales this appointment will be recognised in England and Northern Ireland.
Patients: Appeals
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures are in place for patients to appeal against decisions made about their treatment by NHS England. [166627]
Dr Poulter: If a patient is unhappy with a decision by NHS England about their treatment they may submit further evidence for additional consideration by the Individual Funding Request Review Panel.
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They may also make a complaint directly to NHS England under the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009.
Prosthetics
Dame Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the number of people who could benefit from microprocessor knees and do not currently have them; [167082]
(2) if he will take steps to ensure that all patients who could benefit from prosthetic technology have access to it, regardless of the area in which they live; [167083]
(3) what funding he makes available for the Clinical Reference Group (CRG) on Disability Equipment; and in what circumstances he would consider allocating further funding to CRGs which make a particular case for specific use for that funding. [167084]
Norman Lamb: NHS England is responsible for the direct commissioning of specialised services, including specialist assessment for prosthetic services.
Currently, microprocessor limbs are not routinely funded by NHS England and there is no central allocation of funding to support prescriptions of microprocessor limbs for the civilian population. Figures for the number of civilian patients who either have received microprocessor knees are not held centrally and there are no national estimates for those who could benefit from a microprocessor limb whom have not been prescribed one to date.
NHS England's Clinical Reference Group for Complex Disability Prosthetic Subgroup is developing an upper and lower limb prosthetics policy which will consider the clinical and cost-effectiveness of all type of prosthetics including microprocessor limbs for routine commissioning.
Clinical Reference Groups (CRGs) do not hold a budget nor are they allocated funding as a CRG. Area teams locally hold the budget and contract locally with providers of specialised services.
Public Health England
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether charging for tests in Public Health England microbiology laboratories is on a per test basis. [166628]
Anna Soubry: Tests undertaken by Public Health England that are provided solely in support of public health functions are not charged to an external customer. Tests that are provided primarily for clinical diagnostic purposes are charged to the relevant external customer.
Where a test is charged, the method of charging to customers varies depending upon the volumes involved and nature of the customer relationship. For example a one-off, small order workload is charged on a “per test” basis while higher volume or ongoing workload is normally transacted under a contract for service.
Smoking
Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the health implications of smoking a shisha pipe compared to a cigarette; [167004]
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(2) what steps she is taking to ensure the measures put in place by the Health Act 2006 and Smoke-Free Regulations are being effectively enforced in shisha bars; [167005]
(3) what steps he is taking to measure the (a) presence of and (b) risk to health from second hand smoke to underage children in shisha bars; [167006]
(4) if he will bring forward legislative proposals to license the selling of tobacco products within shisha bars. [167007]
Anna Soubry: The Government have no plans to introduce legislation to license the selling of tobacco products within shisha bars.
A report published by the World Health Organisation in 2005 concluded that “using a waterpipe or shisha to smoke tobacco poses a serious potential health hazard to smokers and others exposed to the smoke emitted”. The report found that a typical one-hour long waterpipe smoking session may involve inhaling over a hundred times the volume of smoke inhaled with a single cigarette.
Shisha premises are governed by ‘smokefree’ legislation under the Health Act 2006 which prevents smoking from taking place within substantially enclosed public spaces. The enforcement of smokefree legislation is the responsibility of local environmental health authorities. Public Health England is currently working with the Department, the Local Government Association, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and others to support the effective enforcement by local authorities of tobacco control legislation in shisha premises.
The Department does not hold information on the presence of children within shisha premises in England. The Department is not aware of any evidence to suggest that there is an increased health risk to children present in premises that comply with smokefree legislation and are properly operated. These premises are also covered by age of sale of tobacco legislation which prohibits vendors from supplying tobacco to those aged under 18 years old.
South London Healthcare NHS Trust
Mr Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many job losses (a) have resulted to date and (b) are predicted to result from the restructuring of South London Healthcare NHS Trust as required by the Trust Special Administrator under the National Health Service Act 2006; and if he will make a statement. [166572]
Anna Soubry: In his statement to the House of 31 January 2013, Official Report, columns 1072-75, the Secretary of State for Health said he expects South London Healthcare NHS Trust (SLHT) to be dissolved by no later than 1 October.
Work is ongoing to conclude SLHTs dissolution and the transfer of its hospitals to other national health service providers on 30 September. Local consultations have been completed, however, we are advised by the NHS Trust Development Authority that the number of potential redundancies is not yet known. The aim is to retain staff in the NHS wherever possible and minimise redundancies.
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Training
Mrs McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what consideration his Department has given to strengthening guidance issued to commissioners on procuring training providers in the physical restraint and behaviour management sector; [167324]
(2) what consideration his Department has given to statutory regulation of providers of training in the physical restraint and behaviour management sector; [167325]
(3) what consideration his Department has given to increasing the minimum standards to be reached by providers of training in non-physical intervention and physical restraint in the mental health sector. [167326]
Norman Lamb: The Department will be publishing new, updated guidance in 2014 that brings together the latest thinking on de-escalation techniques and minimising the use and risks from physical restraint for health and social care staff to use within health and social care settings. This guidance will also look at standards, training, culture, leadership and commissioning.
The Department is also reviewing the Mental Health Act Code of Practice and intends to consult on a revised version of the Code in 2014. It is expected that this will include changes to the current chapter on use of restraint, medication and seclusion.
Written Questions
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many questions answered by his Department included fewer than four pages of statistics in the Official Report for the last month; [166706]
(2) if he will make it his policy to ensure that all answers provided by his Department containing tables of statistical data which would not require more than four pages in the Official Report are published in full rather than by reference to a hyperlink. [166731]
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Dr Poulter: All answers in July containing statistics covering less than four pages were published in full in the Official Report. The Department's practice is to include tables in the answer and not via a web link.
The Office of the Leader of the House provides guidance to all Departments on the practice of answering parliamentary questions by reference to Government websites.
The guidance advises that the answer should give the hon. Member the factual information requested (including supplying paper copies of the website pages), with an additional line in the answer indicating that the information is already made readily available.
The full guide is available on the Cabinet Office website at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work
A copy of the guidance relating to referring to websites has already been placed in the Library and the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons intends to review the Guide to Parliamentary Work later this year.
Culture, Media and Sport
Football
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will consider reviewing company law with respect to football clubs in order to achieve greater oversight of the financial arrangements of football clubs and avoid clubs being affected by unmanageable debt. [166586]
Jo Swinson: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Company law applies generally to all companies formed under the Companies Act 2006, including football clubs which are companies. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills currently has no plans to review it with respect to football clubs specifically but it will consider any suggestions on their merits.