Tackling Extremism and Radicalisation Task Force
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent progress has been made by the Tackling Extremism and Radicalisation Task Force. [171063]
21 Oct 2013 : Column 65W
James Brokenshire: The Extremism Task Force, established in early June, has met four times. Meetings have focused on the practical steps we can take to deal with all forms of extremism, including:
disrupting extremist activity;
challenging extremist narratives;
tackling radicalisation in institutions such as schools, universities, mosques and prisons; and
supporting faith and community leadership to build strong, integrated communities.
The next meeting of the task force is scheduled for 22 October.
Young Offenders
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward legislative proposals to redefine juveniles to include those older than 16 years of age. [171042]
Damian Green [holding answer 16 October 2013]: We have consulted, following the High Court judgment in the Hughes Chang case, and made revisions to Code C under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) to comply with the ruling in that case in relation to 17-year-olds and appropriate adults. Some responses to the consultation suggested amending primary legislation associated with juveniles, specifically in sections 38(6) and section 65 of PACE. We will consider all legislation which appears to treat 17-year-olds as adults in the criminal justice system and bring forward legislative proposals as necessary.
Health
Cancer
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to (a) protect the legal rights of cancer carers and (b) improve access to information and advice on cancer care. [171377]
Norman Lamb: Carers are central to the Government's proposals for care and support and there are significant improvements in the Care Bill for carers, which encompasses those caring for someone with cancer. This includes plans to simplify the assessment process for adult carers, so that it will include consideration of the impact of caring on the carer, and the outcomes that they wish to achieve. This means that more of them will be able to access an assessment of their needs for support. For the first time, there will be a duty on local authorities to meet carers' eligible needs for support, putting them on an equal footing with the people they support.
The Government's mandate to NHS England contains a clear objective that carers looking after friends and family members should routinely have access to information and advice about support available, including respite care.
There is a wide range of information on cancer diagnosis, cancer treatment and support for patients, their families and their carers available on the NHS Choices website at:
www.nhs.uk
where patients can also create “information prescriptions” for a wide variety of conditions, including cancer.
21 Oct 2013 : Column 66W
Dementia
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure identification and treatment of co-morbidities, including chronic pain, in people with dementia. [171430]
Norman Lamb: Through the Mandate, the Department has asked NHS England to demonstrate progress towards making the national health service among the best in Europe at supporting people with ongoing health problems to live healthy and independent lives, with better control over the care they receive.
NHS England has also committed to increasing the dementia diagnosis rate, from the current 46%, to two-thirds by 2015. A diagnosis of dementia is vital for accessing advice, care, support and treatment and this is especially important for people with co-morbid conditions.
The Department's NHS Outcomes Framework contains the indicators that will be used to hold NHS England to account for making significant progress in supporting the earlier diagnosis of illness, ensuring people have access to the right treatment when they need it and making progress in enhancing the quality of life for people with long-term conditions, such as dementia.
The Prime Minister's Challenge on Dementia has enabled the National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC) to learn from partners about the kind of resources they need in supporting people affected by dementia.
On 4 December 2012, the NCPC published guidance on managing pain and distress for people with dementia approaching the end of life.
The National Cancer Experience Survey 2013 contained a range of questions relating to the provision of information and advice about cancer care. The results of the survey were published by NHS England on 30 August 2013. In response to the specific question about the provision of information to help those caring at home, 61% of patients said their family or someone close to them, such as carers, received all the information they needed to help care for them at home, an increase of 1% on the result of the 2011-12 survey.
General Practitioners: Rural Areas
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential effect of withdrawing the minimum practice income guarantee on small rural GP surgeries. [171378]
Dr Poulter: NHS England is leading on this work and is committed to consider with the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association and other stakeholders how to handle the very small number of significant outlier practices for which different contracting arrangements may need to be considered to ensure appropriate services for their local population.
If practices believe that they will be penalised as a result of these changes, NHS England would welcome the chance to discuss their concerns.
Jimmy Savile
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any former health or other ministers have been interviewed in the course of the inquiry into Jimmy Savile's involvement in the NHS. [171279]
21 Oct 2013 : Column 67W
Norman Lamb: This information could prejudice the ongoing investigations into the role of Jimmy Savile in relation to the national health service.
It is vital that the final NHS investigation reports are thorough and complete, and reflect all the evidence about Jimmy Savile's pattern of offending.
The final reports of all the investigations are expected to be completed by June 2014 or sooner if possible.
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish his evidence that further units of the NHS may have been involved with law-breaking by Jimmy Savile. [171288]
Norman Lamb: There are currently three main investigations under way—Broadmoor, Stoke Mandeville and Leeds General Infirmary. Kate Lampard is providing independent scrutiny of the quality and rigour of these investigations on behalf of the Department of Health. Investigations are also taking place at a further 10 trusts.
The Metropolitan Police Service has identified further information regarding Jimmy Savile that relates to the 13 ongoing investigations as well as to other hospitals.
The Metropolitan Police Service is still reviewing relevant information. It is not yet possible to say what further investigations may need to take place, as we have not yet received all the information.
We have committed to providing an update, including the names of any other hospitals involved, once we know where any further investigations may need to take place.
Maternity Services
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much the NHS has spent on maternity services in each year since 2010-11; and what proportion of total NHS spending this represented in each such year; [171835]
(2) how much was spent on NHS maternity services in each region in each year since 2010-11. [171836]
Dr Poulter: The following table shows the amount spent by primary care trusts (PCTs) on maternity services from 2010-11 to 2012-13 and the proportion of total national health service pending that represents.
| Purchase of secondary healthcare: Maternity | |||
| Region | 2012-13 | 2011-12 | 2010-11 |
| Source: Department of Health Annual Report and Accounts. | |||
The following table shows how much was spend on NHS maternity service in each region for 2010-11 to 2012-13.
| £000 | |||
| Purchase of secondary healthcare: Maternity | |||
| Region | 2012-13 | 2011-12 | 2010-11 |
21 Oct 2013 : Column 68W
| Note: For 2012-13 table does not cast due to rounding. Source: Department of Health Annual Report and Accounts and PCT Summarisation Schedules | |||
Medical Records: Databases
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether people will be able to opt out of the care.data scheme using the internet or telephone; [171783]
(2) whether every household will receive an opt-out form along with information about care.data. [171784]
Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the care.data system will extract the records of people who have received treatment for a sexually-transmitted disease. [171798]
Dr Poulter: General practitioners (GPs), as data controllers, are advised to agree at a local level, the best way to manage the objection process and how their patients might contact the practice should they wish to object or discuss data sharing. This might be for example, via e-mail, letter or phone to GP practice staff.
It is the role of the NHS England awareness programme to present the facts in a fair and balanced way to enable citizens to make an informed choice or to seek further information or clarification if they wish to through the various communication channels suggested.
Citizens and patients are being presented with information about how their information is used and shared and the benefits to improve care for all, as well as how to object to this sharing of data if they wish to do so. NHS England makes reference to this in their guidance to GP practices and in their communications to citizens. The computer code to stop information flowing if the patient is not happy is an objection code which will be upheld in all but exceptional circumstances (such as a court order).
The care.data system will not extract this type of data related to the treatment for a sexually-transmitted disease. These data are legally restricted and is excluded from the care.data collection.
Mental Health Services
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission an analysis of the reasons for the increase in referrals to Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services in the last two years; and if he will ensure that sufficient resources are in place to support those services. [171796]
21 Oct 2013 : Column 69W
Norman Lamb: The Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) programme is being rolled out progressively throughout England, with the intention of treating 15% of those who could benefit (around 900,000 people) per year by the end of March 2015. We would therefore expect referrals to increase as more services are available and as general practitioners and people with mental health problems become aware of the existence and effectiveness of treatments available through IAPT services.
The number of people referred to IAPT services for psychological therapies has consistently grown over the course of the programme. During the last two years, four new services have started to treat patients in Hillingdon, Central Lancashire, West Essex and Luton resulting in increased referrals.
Over the course of the current spending review, we are investing in excess of £450 million in both adult and
21 Oct 2013 : Column 70W
children and young people's IAPT to give thousands of people access to National Institute for Health Care Excellence-approved psychological therapies.
Midwives
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the age profile of midwives working for the NHS in England was in each year since 2001. [171832]
Dr Poulter: The national health service annual work force census published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre shows the age profile of midwives working for the NHS in England as at 30 September each year. The age profile of midwives working in the NHS from 2001 to 2012 is shown in the following table:
| NHS hospital and community health services: Registered midwives in England by age band as at 30 September each specified year | ||||||||||||
| Full-time equivalent | ||||||||||||
| Under 25 | 25 to 29 | 30 to 34 | 35 to 39 | 40 to 44 | 45 to 49 | 50 to 54 | 55 to 59 | 60 to 64 | 65 and over | Unknown | All staff | |
| Notes: 1. Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number. 2. These figures exclude bank staff. 3. Data Quality: The Health and Social-Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census. | ||||||||||||
Mobile Phones
Mr Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many smartphone apps his Department has launched. [171595]
Dr Poulter: The Department has not launched any new native mobile applications since 1 April 2013.
When the new health and care system started on 1 April 2013, parts of the Department moved into new or existing organisations in the system, taking their responsibilities and assets with them. The Department's existing native mobile applications were included in the assets that transferred.
The following list shows apps that were developed by the Department prior to 1 April 2013 but are now the responsibility of other organisations in the health and care system:
Change4Life Fun generator
Change4Life Drinks tracker
Change4Life Be Food Smart Meal mixer
Stoptober.
Health and Social Care Information Centre
NHS BMI healthy weight calculator
NHS Drinks Tracker
NHS Couch to 5k
NHS Quit Smoking
Embedding Informatics in Clinical Education.
NHS: Screening
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many HLA screening tests have been order by NHS trusts for coeliac disorder association in each of the last three years; [171329]
(2) how many HLA*B51 screening tests have been ordered by NHS trusts for Behçet's disease association in each of the last three years; [171330]
(3) how many HLA*B57:01 screening tests have been ordered by NHS trusts for the Abacavir drug sensitivity association for HIV patients in each of the last three years; [171331]
21 Oct 2013 : Column 71W
(4) how many human leukocyte antigen screening tests have been ordered by NHS trusts for narcolepsy association in each of the last three years; [171338]
(5) how many HLA screening tests were ordered by NHS trusts for ankylosing spondylitis association in each of the last three years. [171540]
Norman Lamb: This information is not held centrally.
Palliative Care
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to prohibit the making of payments for each patient implemented on the Liverpool Care Pathway or similar approaches. [R] [171203]
Norman Lamb: I wrote to NHS England in July, asking it to work with clinical commissioning groups to put a stop to the use of inappropriate local financial incentives for care for the dying, where such schemes exist. This was in the written ministerial statement given on 15 July 2013, Official Report, columns 62-64WS in response to the publication of the independent review of the Liverpool Care Pathway.
The Government's intention is for the Liverpool Care Pathway to be phased out over the next six to 12 months in favour of an individual approach to end-of-life care for each patient, with a personalised care plan backed up by a named senior clinician responsible for its implementation. Over the coming months, the Department will be working with partner organisations, stakeholders and charities across health and care to inform a full system-wide response to the review's recommendations in the autumn.
Passive Smoking: Children
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effect of smoking in cars on the health of children; and what step he has considered taking to tackle this. [171126]
21 Oct 2013 : Column 72W
Jane Ellison: The Government's comprehensive, evidence-based strategy to reduce tobacco use in England was set out in “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England”, published in March 2011. This acknowledges that children are particularly vulnerable to the harms from secondhand smoke and this is supported by evidence in the Royal College of Physicians' 2010 report “Passive Smoking and Children” and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health's 2011 inquiry into smoking in private vehicles.
The Tobacco Control Plan for England states that:
“rather than extending smokefree legislation, we want people to recognise the risks of secondhand smoke and decide voluntarily to make their homes and family cars smokefree”.
The Government ran a hard- hitting marketing campaign, on this issue in spring 2012. Independent evaluation of the campaign showed it was successful in changing both attitudes and behaviour. The campaign was updated and repeated in June and July 2013. The effectiveness of this year's campaign is currently being independently evaluated and the Department will review the findings carefully.
Sunbeds
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether his Department plans to review the effectiveness of current regulations governing the use of sunbeds; [171634]
(2) how many local authorities are currently able to license the use of sunbeds within their area; and if he will assess the scope for increasing the number of such authorities. [171635]
Jane Ellison: The Department has no present plans to review the effectiveness of current regulations governing the use of sunbeds.
The Department does not keep records on the number of local authorities that have licensing schemes and is not proposing to undertake an assessment. Some local authorities have licensing arrangements which include requirements for businesses that operate sunbeds. It will be for local authorities to decide on the scope for licensing requirements.