Medical Records: Databases
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what systems are in place to monitor the proportion of leaflets advertising the Care.Data scheme that are successfully delivered. [186539]
Dr Poulter: NHS England is in the process of surveying a sample of households to evaluate the effectiveness of the leaflet 'Better information means better care', which includes asking whether they recall receiving the leaflet and how much of it they read. This will ensure that lessons are learnt to incorporate in future national mailings.
Royal Mail was contracted to deliver the leaflet to every household in England during January 2014.
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have opted out of the care.data scheme; and how many people he expects to opt-out overall. [186662]
Dr Poulter: There are currently no estimates relating to objection rates as no data extractions have taken place.
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure all patients are aware of changes to the use of their data. [186674]
Dr Poulter: A leaflet entitled ‘Better information means better care’ has been delivered to households in England. The leaflet explains how information from medical records is used to improve the quality of care and services for all and also explains the choices available to patients about the use and protection of their personal confidential data. The household leaflet is part of a comprehensive range of awareness raising activities, which also includes: leaflets and posters in every general practice in England; articles in newspapers; information on the NHS Choices website and via social media; as well as information cascaded via 350,000 patient groups and charities.
Northern Ireland
Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assets his Department has sold in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and what the value of each such sale was. [186573]
Dr Poulter: The Department has not sold any assets in Northern Ireland over the last five years.
Nurses: Greater London
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) district nurses, (b) health visitors, (c) community psychiatric nurses, (d) community matrons and (e) community learning disabilities nurses were employed by the NHS in each Clinical Commissioning Group area in London in (i) the latest period for which figures are available and (ii) the period 12 months prior to this; and if he will make a statement. [187061]
Dr Poulter: The information is not collected in the format requested. The following table provides the number of qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the previous London Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area by organisation.
| National health service hospital and community health services provisional monthly statistics: Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the London Strategic Health Authority area1 by organisation and each specified level and area of work as at 31 October each specified year | ||||||||||||
| Full-time equivalent | ||||||||||||
| All qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff | Of which: District Nurses | Health Visitors | Community Matrons | Community Psychiatric Nurses | Community Learning Disabilities Nurses | |||||||
| Organisation name | 2012 | 2013 | 2012 | 2013 | 2012 | 2013 | 2012 | 2013 | 2012 | 2013 | 2012 | 2013 |
11 Feb 2014 : Column 617W
11 Feb 2014 : Column 618W
|
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust | ||||||||||||
|
Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Foundation Trust | ||||||||||||
11 Feb 2014 : Column 619W
11 Feb 2014 : Column 620W
11 Feb 2014 : Column 621W
11 Feb 2014 : Column 622W
| 1 The information in the table is from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) Provisional Monthly Workforce Statistics. Former London SHA area figures for October 2013 are an aggregate of the Health Education North Central and East London, Health Education North West London, and Health Education South London regions. These statistics relate to the contracted positions within English NHS organisations and may include those where the person assigned to the position is temporarily absent, for example on maternity leave. Monthly data: As from 21 July 2010 the HSCIC has published provisional monthly NHS workforce data. As expected with provisional statistics, some figures may be revised from month to month as issues are uncovered and resolved. The monthly workforce data is not-directly comparable with the annual workforce census; it only includes those staff on the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) (ie it does not include Primary care staff or Bank staff). There are also new methods of presenting data (headcount methodology is different and there is now a role count). This information is available from September 2009 onwards at the following website: www.hscic.gov.uk Note: A few NHS organisations, such as Barking and Dagenham PCT, existed within the ESR database with small numbers of staff as a result of the impact of Transforming Community Services and the resultant system mergers and demergers which were still on-going at the time of the 2012 census. | ||||||||||||
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered nurses there were in each NHS trust in London in the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [187064]
Dr Poulter: Information showing the number of qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff employed by each NHS organisation in London in each year during the period 2008 to 2012 is shown in the following table:
11 Feb 2014 : Column 623W
11 Feb 2014 : Column 624W
| 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. Notes: 1. Full time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number. 2. These statistics relate to the contracted positions within English NHS organisations and may include those where the person assigned to the position is temporarily absent, for example on maternity leave. 3. As a consequence of TCS (Transforming Community Services) the former provider arm of some PCTs may have transferred into local acute trusts, this can be seen in the large decrease in staff in Barnet PCT, and large increase in staff numbers at Barts NHS Trust for example. Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census | |||||
Obesity: Sugar
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of sugar on obesity levels. [186476]
Jane Ellison:
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, a committee of experts who advise the Government on nutrition issues, is currently reviewing the evidence on sugar as part of its Carbohydrates and Health review. This will include evaluating the scientific literature on sugar and obesity. We know that people
11 Feb 2014 : Column 625W
are eating more sugar than the Government recommends. There is broad consensus that obesity is the result of a very large number of factors, which include the built environment, inactivity and consuming too many calories than the body needs (irrespective of whether these come from sugar or fat).
Bereavement
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the mandatory introduction of a bereavement policy on all businesses available to a parent whose child had died. [187002]
Norman Lamb: There have been no discussions with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the mandatory introduction of a bereavement policy on all businesses, available to a parent whose child has died.
Pregnancy
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will issue guidance to (a) midwives and (b) GPs on reduced fetal movements during the third trimester of pregnancy to ensure that (i) appropriate measures are taken by healthcare professions, (ii) expectant mothers receive the best advice on precautions and (iii) best practice is shared throughout the health service; [186999]
(2) what steps he is taking to improve education on pregnancy and maternity for the prevention or avoidance of (a) stillbirths, (b) children born with fetal alcohol syndrome and (c) infant deaths due to pregnant women (i) smoking, (ii) having a high body mass index, (iii) drinking six or more units of alcohol at one time and (iii) bad nutrition; and if he will make a statement; [187000]
(3) what recent assessment he has made of the effects of introducing a universal 30 week pregnancy scan on identifying placenta complications leading to stillbirths; and if he will make a statement; [187001]
(4) what assessment he has made of the five point pregnancy plan developed by Tommy's; what recent assessment he has made of the benefits of a national campaign on pregnancy health to reduce rates of perinatal mortality; and if he will make a statement. [187201]
Dr Poulter: The Department is working with partners, including NHS England, Public Health England, the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of General Practitioners, to agree and disseminate public health messages for pregnant women and health care professionals to raise awareness of the known risk factors for stillbirth and the actions that can be taken to reduce those risks. Reduced fetal movement will form part of this.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has published evidence-based guidance for health professionals and advice for pregnant women on reduced fetal movements. This information is available on their website at:
www.rcog.org.uk/files/rcog-corp/Your%20Baby's%20Movements%20in%20Pregnancy_0.pdf
www.rcog.org.uk/files/rcog-corp/GTG57RFM25022011.pdf
11 Feb 2014 : Column 626W
To inform the evidence base for future guidance, AFFIRM (Awareness of Fetal Movements and Focussing Interventions Reduce Fetal Mortality), a four-year research study is conducting into whether promoting awareness of fetal movements can help reduce stillbirths. The study is expected to report in 2017.
The aim of Public Health England's Start4Life campaign is to increase the number of healthy babies and children under five through the adoption of healthy behaviours. Since May 2012, the campaign has delivered messages to pregnant women about the healthy behaviours that they should adopt in pregnancy: quitting smoking, cutting down on alcohol, healthy eating, physical activity and taking folic acid and vitamin D. These have been primarily delivered through healthcare settings such as via leaflets and posters in general practitioners' surgeries and through supplying resources to midwives. There was also a programme of paid for communications from November 2012 to March 2013, which included paid search on internet search engines, advertising on Baby TV and a long-term magazine partnership with Hearst publishing.
At the end of January 2014, Start4Life merged with the NHS Information Service for Parents, a digital service for parent-to-be and new parents which sends both mums and dads regular free emails, videos and SMS messages with advice and information from a trust source about pregnancy and the first eighteen months with a baby, to form one service for the provision of information and advice to parents-to-be, which should enable us to make this key health information even more widely known among the target audience.
There is no compelling evidence that the introduction of a universal 30-week pregnancy scan would be an effective method of identifying placenta problems leading to stillbirth. Previous studies have not shown an improvement in predicting or preventing stillbirths and neonatal deaths using universal scans in all women. There is currently a large research study (>4,000 women) at the University of Cambridge funded through the National Institute for Health Research which is assessing the benefit of serial growth scans in low risk women to identify placental problems such as growth restriction and improve stillbirth rate.
The Secretary of State for Health has not made an assessment of Tommy's five point pregnancy plan.
For the best health outcomes, it is important women engage with maternity services at an early stage. Seeing a midwife early in pregnancy helps women stay healthy and get the right care and advice about maintaining a healthy lifestyle during and after pregnancy. This will also help ensure that women have their personal needs assessed appropriately through an individualised plan of care.
Between May 2010 and October 2013, midwives in the national health service increased by over 1,500 and there are also over 5,000 midwives in training who will qualify in the next three years.
Re-employment
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 4 February 2014, Official Report, column 160W, on re-employment, what the total cost was of that redundancy. [187209]
11 Feb 2014 : Column 627W
Dr Poulter: As the number of individuals involved is five or fewer the Department cannot disclose exact amounts as to do so may breach confidentiality.
Spinal Injuries
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that health professionals with expertise in spinal cord injury are included in multidisciplinary teams for continuing health care; [186522]
(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that spinal cord injured people have access to NHS continuing health care and that the ruling on the case of Pamela Coughlan 1999 is adhered to. [186675]
Norman Lamb: Individuals who are assessed as having a ‘primary health need’ as set out in the ‘National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care’ will be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare. Eligibility is based on an individual's assessed needs—it is not condition specific or based on their diagnosis. However, the assessment does require a clear, reasoned decision, based on evidence of needs from a comprehensive assessment. The assessment should look at the totality of an individual's needs and draw on those who have direct knowledge of the individual and their needs. It should also make use of existing specialist assessments, and should make referrals for other specialist assessments whenever that is appropriate.
While as a minimum requirement a multidisciplinary team can comprise two professionals from different health care professions, the National Framework makes it clear that the multidisciplinary team should usually include both health and social care professionals, who are knowledgeable about the individual's health and social care needs.
The Decision Support Tool for NHS Continuing Healthcare supports practitioners in identifying the individual's needs, which, combined with the practitioners skills, knowledge and professional judgment, should enable them to apply the primary health need test in practice, in a way that is consistent with the limits on what can lawfully be provided by a local authority, in accordance with the Coughlan judgment.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the process for monitoring the level of care that individuals with severe spinal cord injuries are receiving from their immediate provider. [186523]
Norman Lamb: As with all service contracts, commissioners are responsible for monitoring quality, access and patient experience within the context of provider performance.
From 1 April 2013, NHS England became responsible for commissioning spinal cord injury services provided by the specialised centres in England. By moving from a local to a national system, it is intended that such specialised services are consistently high-quality, equitable and effective. National health service area teams around the country lead on the contract and performance management of providers in their area for all specialised services for all patients in England. By using a single national set of service specifications,
11 Feb 2014 : Column 628W
standards, policies and quality measures, the quality of spinal injury services in the NHS should continually improve.