Care Quality Commission
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Care Quality Commission look at (a) current and (b) historic patient files and consent forms. [206241]
Norman Lamb: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care providers in England and has a key responsibility in the overall assurance of safety and quality of health and adult social care services.
The CQC has provided the following information:
CQC looks at current and historic patient records when appropriate in order to assess the quality and safety of services registered with it. Patient records are commonly reviewed during CQC inspections, in compliance with the Data Protection Act, to see how well care at a service is planned, delivered and reviewed, and form an integral part of judging the quality of care. In order to protect the confidentiality of people who use services, and to comply with legal requirements, CQC will only look at patient files where it has decided that it is both necessary and proportionate to do so
21 July 2014 : Column 985W
for the purpose of CQC’s regulatory functions. This approach is set out in CQC’s
Code of Practice on Confidential Personal Information
and in guidance for inspectors on using CQC’s powers to access health and care records.
The Code of Practice on Confidential Personal Information is available on CQC’s website at:
www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/20121105_code_of_practice_on_cpi.pdf
Children: Abuse
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any files on child abuse have been passed to his Department by (a) other parts of the Government or (b) hon. Members; and in what year such files were so passed. [205427]
Dr Poulter: We are not aware of any files being passed to the Department from other parts of the Government or hon. Members.
Consent to Medical Treatment
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether patients and their families are entitled to receive copies of consent forms they have signed. [205948]
Jane Ellison: It is a general legal and ethical principle that valid consent must be obtained from an individual before starting a treatment or physical intervention. For consent to be valid it must be given voluntarily by an appropriately informed person who has the capacity to consent to the intervention in question.
It is the responsibility of the doctor undertaking the treatment or investigation to ensure that they (or someone they delegate) obtain valid consent. The key elements of the discussion with the patient, including any specific requests by the patient, should be properly recorded in a person’s medical record or in a consent form. This might include that a copy of a consent form has been requested by, or given to, the patient or to their family should the patient agree to that.
The General Medical Council’s professional guidance on obtaining and recording consent, “Consent: patients and doctors making decisions together”, can be found at:
www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/ethical_guidance/consent_guidance_index.asp
Other sources of guidance for health care professionals on obtaining consent include the Department’s “Reference guide to consent for examination or treatment (Second Edition)”which can be found at:
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/138296/dh_103653__1_.pdf
and the British Medical Association’s consent toolkit which can be found at:
http://bma.org.uk/practical-support-at-work/ethics/consent
Continuing Care
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average time taken is in each health authority from a person being referred for a NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment to the eligibility decision being made. [205868]
21 July 2014 : Column 986W
Norman Lamb: The Department does not collect data regarding the time taken for individuals to be assessed for NHS Continuing Healthcare. The National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care sets out that the time which elapses between completion of the Checklist (or other notification of potential eligibility) being received by the relevant clinical commissioning group, and a funding decision being made should, in most cases, not exceed 28 days.
Defibrillators
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that internal defibrillators be available on the NHS. [205821]
Jane Ellison: Implantable cardioverter defibrillators—internal defibrillators—are already available on the national health service.
The decision about whether to implant a defibrillator into a patient is a clinical one which we would expect to take account of any relevant guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Depressive Illnesses
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people who are (a) unemployed and (b) in work who have been diagnosed with depression have been treated with (i) anti-depressants and (ii) talking therapies in the last year. [205572]
Norman Lamb: The Department does not hold data on the proportion of people who are unemployed, or in work, who have been diagnosed with depression and have been treated with anti-depressants or talking therapies, in the last year.
Doctors
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of doctors against whom allegations of abuse made by patients have been in each year since 2010. [206350]
Dr Poulter: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department.
The information requested is held by the General Medical Council, an independent body responsible for dealing firmly and fairly with doctors whose fitness to practise is in doubt.
Eating Disorders
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of (a) eating disorder beds and (b) eating disorder services have been delivered by the private sector in each year since 2010. [206351]
Norman Lamb:
In April 2013, NHS England became responsible for commissioning specialised Eating Disorder Services. There are currently 460 beds available across England. Some 255 of these beds are provided by the national health service and the remainder by the Independent sector. Therefore 55.4% are provided by
21 July 2014 : Column 987W
the NHS. Historical figures are not available as these data are maintained as a real-time list.
NHS England does not hold data on services commissioned by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) which include non-specialised and community eating disorder services. CCGs’ commissioning decisions are based on the needs of the local population and they are expected to take account of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.
Eculizumab
John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has made in its appraisal of Eculizumab. [205636]
Norman Lamb: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 July 2014, Official Report, column 440W, to my right hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr O'Brien).
Food: Marketing
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps in co-operation with major retailers to prevent unhealthy food being marketed more favourably than healthier foods. [206401]
Jane Ellison: The Department has been leading a programme of voluntary action by industry to rebalance their advertising and promotion, including by offering the healthier option as a default so that their customers can choose to follow a healthy, balanced diet.
For example, major retailers such as Lidl and Tesco have committed to remove sweets and confectionery from all of their checkouts. The Department continues to encourage more partners to follow this example, and through programmes like Change4Life promotes such action.
Gender Recognition
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make it his policy to facilitate the establishment of a gender identity clinic in Brighton and Hove; and if he will make a statement; [206002]
(2) what information his Department holds on (a) the current waiting time following referral for a first appointment at Charing Cross Gender Identity Clinic (GIC), (b) how many people are currently receiving treatment at that clinic and how long the average wait is between appointments; what assessment his Department has made of how many patients Charing Cross GIC can treat in a year according to best practice guidelines and within existing resources; what discussions he has had with the Chief Executive of NHS England on the steps necessary to increase provision of services for trans people; and if he will make a statement. [206001]
Norman Lamb:
We are advised by NHS England that there are currently seven gender identity clinics (GICs) in England and three providers of gender reassignment surgery. The nearest GIC to Brighton and Hove is located in London. These GIC clinics have considerable experience of delivering this highly specialised service and are able to accept referrals from all over the United
21 July 2014 : Column 988W
Kingdom. At present there are no plans to undertake a procurement exercise to increase the number of providers.
NHS England report that waiting times for pre-surgical assessment at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust— one of the three NHS England commissioned providers of gender surgery—are currently running at around 12 months, compared to 10 months in 2013-14. The increase in waiting times is due to the increase in demand for the service nationally that has seen referrals increase from 195 in 2011-12 to 300 in 2013-14.
Individual patient waits vary according to the needs of the patient. Currently, the average wait for surgery is just under a year from the point at which funding is confirmed.
Information from the website of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust shows that there are currently 279 patients approved for this surgery and that it carried out 178 male to female gender reassignment operations in 2013-14.
Following a change in staffing, Imperial appointed a new gender reassignment surgeon who will start performing gender reassignment surgeries in September 2014. As a temporary measure, the trust is referring a small number of patients who have waited longer than others to a private provider under a sub-contracting arrangement with that provider. Imperial retain responsibility for managing all patient pathways.
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has published an update of the position on its website, which can be viewed at the following link:
www.imperial.nhs.uk/aboutus/news/news_044629
The trust is also sending this information directly to patients.
These issues have not been the subject of discussions between Ministers and the chief executive of NHS England.
General Dental Council
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the findings of the Professional Standards Authority's Annual Performance Review of regulators relating to the General Dental Council. [206048]
Dr Poulter: The Professional Standards Authority laid its Annual Performance Review Report 2013-14 in Parliament on 26 June 2014. The Department has noted the report findings. It is now for the each independent regulatory body to reflect on their recommendations and take action. In the past, the Health Select Committee has used the Annual Performance Review Report to explore progress made against each recommendation with each regulatory body.
Gynaecology: Medical Treatments
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that the operation to remove fibroids by MR Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS) be available on the NHS. [205823]
21 July 2014 : Column 989W
Jane Ellison: Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for determining clinical commissioning policy (including the availability of, or eligibility for, NHS funded treatment) on fibroid treatments. Local CCGs decide on how to best use funding allocated to them, underpinned by clinical insight and knowledge of local health care needs.
The Department is aware that in November 2011, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published Interventional Procedures Guidance [IPG413]: “Magnetic resonance image-guided transcutaneous focused ultrasound for uterine fibroids”.
The Department expects CCGs to consider any relevant NICE guidance as they design services to meet the needs of patients.
Health Services
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when NHS England will conclude its review of specialised service commissioning; [205441]
(2) whether applications for specialised services which have previously been submitted to NHS England will be reviewed under the existing commissioning process or by the specialised commissioning taskforce. [205440]
Jane Ellison: NHS England established the specialised commissioning taskforce to make some immediate improvements to the way in which NHS England commissions specialised services, and to put commissioning arrangements on a stronger footing for the longer-term. The taskforce is not conducting a complete review of specialised commissioning, although there are some aspects of this work which will require some specific services or arrangements to be reviewed. The life of the task force was originally three months running from May to July 2014; this has now been extended to the end of October 2014.
NHS England is bound to arrange the provision, to such extent as it considers necessary to meet all reasonable requirements, of those services that are prescribed in regulations for national commissioning by NHS England (SI 2012/2996, as amended). Any decisions made by NHS England on the national commissioning of prescribed specialised services are made within the statutory framework provided for by Ministers in accordance with the requirements laid down by Parliament in section 3B of the National Health Service Act 2006, as amended. Further information on the process for prescribing specialised services is contained in “Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group, Recommendations to Ministers, May 2014”. A copy has been placed in the Library and is available at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/specialised-service-recommendations-to-ministers
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who NHS England will consult as part of the review by the specialised commissioning taskforce; and whether (a) patients and (b) the public will have the opportunity to participate in the review. [205561]
Jane Ellison:
NHS England has advised that the work of the specialised commissioning taskforce is not a wholesale review of specialised commissioning. The
21 July 2014 : Column 990W
specialised commissioning taskforce was established in April 2014 in order to make some immediate improvements to the way in which NHS England commissions specialised services, and to put commissioning arrangements on a stronger footing for the longer-term. The taskforce comprises seven distinct work streams, which will focus on financial control in 2014-15, and planning for the 2015-16 commissioning round.
There are aspects of the taskforce work which will require specific engagement appropriate and proportionate to the nature of the issue or service via the routes relevant to the topic. For example, there is engagement with clinical commissioning groups via the Commissioning Assembly on the future portfolio of specialised services. There is engagement via the Patient and Public Voice Assurance Group about a range of commissioning issues. This group acts as a forum for organisations and individuals representing patients of specialised services to contribute to the improvement of services and patient experience.
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many clinical commissioning policies NHS England has published since April 2014; and how many such policies are pending; [205563]
(2) how many clinical commissioning policies are being considered by (a) clinical reference groups, (b) Programme of Care Boards, (c) the Rare Disease Advisory Group, (d) the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group, (e) the Directly Commissioned Services Committee and (f) the NHS England Board. [205598]
Jane Ellison: NHS England has published 53 clinical commissioning policies since April 2014. A further four are currently out to public consultation which will close on 17 September 2014.
NHS England has advised that 65 clinical commissioning policies are currently being considered by clinical reference groups, and Programme of Care Boards.
Clinical commissioning policies will be submitted to the Rare Disease Advisory Group and Clinical Priorities Advisory Group during August for consideration at their next meeting later in the year.
No clinical commissioning policies are currently being considered by the Directly Commissioned Services Committee and the NHS England Board.
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role NHS England plays in the development of advice given by the Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group to Ministers on which specialised services should be included in regulations setting out those services which NHS England must commission. [206003]
Norman Lamb: NHS England puts forward proposals to the Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group (PSSAG), and provides information to support the Group's considerations chiefly via its Clinical Reference Groups. NHS England also provides expert members of PSSAG in areas such as finance, informatics, medicine and nursing. Further information about NHS England's input to the process by which advice is prepared for Ministers is set out in the publication “Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group-Recommendations to Ministers” published on 2 May 2014, which includes a complete list of PSSAG members.
21 July 2014 : Column 991W
www.gov.uk/government/publications/specialised-service-recommendations-to-ministers
In addition, as required by section 3B of the National Health Service Act 2006 (as amended), NHS England is consulted before regulations are made by the Secretary of State.
Health Services: Older People
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to co-ordinate with the devolved Administrations to plan for the effects of an ageing population. [206395]
Norman Lamb: Health and care is generally a devolved issue for the devolved Administrations. None the less, the Department works with the devolved Administrations on matters of mutual interest, including the effects of an ageing population.
Health: Business
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisations were approached by his Department to join the Responsibility Deal; which such organisations rejected joining the Deal; and what the reasons were for each such rejection. [206053]
Jane Ellison: The Department does not maintain information about those organisations who have been approached and reject joining the Deal, and the reasons for any rejection.
Homeopathy
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent meetings Ministers his Department have held with (a) representatives of manufacturers of homeopathic medicines and (b) organisations representing homeopathic practitioners. [205942]
Jane Ellison: Ministers have had no recent meetings with either representatives of manufacturers of homeopathic medicines or organisations representing homeopathic practitioners.
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the Chief Medical Officer on the efficacy of homeopathy. [205943]
Jane Ellison: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has had no recent discussions with the chief medical officer on the efficacy of homeopathy.
Hospital Beds
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost per night is of a bed in (a) an intensive therapy unit or high dependency unit, (b) a district general hospital, (c) a spinal cord injury centre and (d) a spinal cord injury centre for a ventilated spinal cord injured patient. [205785]
Jane Ellison: Information is not available in the format requested.
21 July 2014 : Column 992W
Such information as is available is from reference costs, which are the average unit costs to national health service trusts and foundation trusts of providing defined services in a given financial year to NHS patients. Unit costs for in-patient care, including spinal cord injury, requiring the use of a hospital bed for at least one night are submitted per finished consultant episode rather than per night. Only unit costs for in-patient stays beyond the expected length of stay for each treatment are submitted per bed day. Unit costs for critical care, including in an intensive therapy unit or high dependency unit, are submitted per critical care bed day. This information is shown in the following table.
| National average unit costs of adult critical care, elective and non-elective care, and spinal cord injury care in England, 2012-13 | |||
| Unit cost per finished consultant episode4 | Unit cost per excess bed day5 | Unit cost per critical care bed day6 | |
| 1 National average adult critical care costs submitted in reference costs by all NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts that provided patient care in critical care units during 2012-13 give the nearest equivalent to the average cost per night of a bed in an intensive therapy unit or high dependency unit. They relate to parts of the patient’s hospital stay that require organ system support in a designated critical care bed. These are conventionally grouped into critical care areas, such as an intensive therapy unit or high dependency unit, but may include temporary, non-standard locations. 2 National average elective and non-elective in-patient costs submitted in reference costs by all NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts that admitted patients during 2012-13 give the nearest equivalent to the average cost per night of a bed in a district general hospital. No attempt has been made to distinguish between district general hospitals and other types of trust, such as specialist or teaching trusts. 3 National average elective and non-elective in-patient costs submitted in reference costs against treatment function code 323, spinal injuries, by the following eight trusts providing spinal cord injury centres in England give the nearest equivalent to the average cost per night of a bed in a spinal cord injury centre: (a) Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (b) Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust (c) Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust (d) Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (e) South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (f) Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust (g) St George's Healthcare NHS Trust (h) The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 4 Reference costs for elective and non-elective in-patient episodes of care distinguish between the inlier unit cost below a statistically derived expected length of stay (known as a trim point) for a given treatment, and an excess bed day cost for each bed day over the trim point. Inlier unit costs cover the costs of active treatment and are submitted per finished consultant episode rather than per bed day. 5 Excess bed day costs are used to estimate the cost of an overnight stay in a hospital bed and generally include routine ward costs such as nursing, dressings, and blood tests, although they may also include the costs of active treatment where this continues beyond the trim point, especially for specialised services. 6 Adult critical care costs are submitted per critical care bed day. Source: Reference costs, Department of Health | |||
Hospitals: Wi-fi
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to increase and improve the availability of (a) free and (b) chargeable wi-fi access for patients in NHS hospitals; and how many NHS hospitals in Sussex provide (i) free and (ii) chargeable wi-fi access for patients at the most recent date for which figures are available. [205279]
Dr Poulter:
The availability of free and chargeable wi-fi access for patients is a matter for local national
21 July 2014 : Column 993W
health service organisations. There is no centrally collected information on the number of NHS hospitals in England that provide free and chargeable wireless internet access for patients.
Human Embryo Experiments
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what use materials were put under research licence R0152 according to each of the research data sheets submitted to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority by centre 0017 since 2009. [205532]
Jane Ellison: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that research licence R0152 was renewed in May 2014. The inspection report and minutes which set out the use to which materials were put under that licence are available on the HFEA's website at:
http://guide.hfea.gov.uk/guide/ShowPDF.aspx?ID=5591&merge=1
In Vitro Fertilisation
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many eggs are required before the research to enable (a) pro-nuclear transfer and (b) maternal spindle transfer is considered safe for treatment in women; [205533]
(2) pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Congleton of 7 April 2014, Official Report, columns 42-3W, on in vitro fertilisation, what estimate he has made of the number of eggs that would be required annually for (a) pro-nuclear transfer and (b) maternal spindle transfer every year. [205599]
Jane Ellison: There is no set number of eggs required for use before the research to enable pro-nuclear transfer and maternal spindle transfer can be considered safe for use in the treatment of women.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that it has made no estimate of the number of eggs that would be required annually for pro-nuclear transfer and maternal spindle transfer.
Infant Foods
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has an infant feeding co-ordinator. [206353]
Dr Poulter: The Department does not employ an infant feeding co-ordinator, but works collaboratively with the National Infant Feeding Steering Group, which brings together key partners including Public Health England, NHS England and UNICEF UK.
In December 2013, the Department provided £80,000 to UNICEF for two projects to maintain and develop the National Infant Feeding Network and to promote care and compassion through infant feeding as part of universal midwifery and health visiting services, including those services delivered in neonatal units and children's centres.
Land
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much land his Department has released for the purpose of building new homes since May 2010. [205480]
21 July 2014 : Column 994W
Dr Poulter: The Department, including the national health service, has contributed surplus land capable of delivering 10,099 homes (including affordable homes) to the Public Sector Land Programme. The NHS is continuing to rationalise its estate, delivering cost savings, better value for money for the taxpayer and putting the money into patient services.
Legal Costs
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on legal fees since May 2010. [205866]
Dr Poulter: Spend on legal fees by all financial years starting from May 2010 to 31 March 2014 is contained in the following table.
| Total spend on legal services fees since May 2010 to 31 March 2014 | |
| £ | |
Lung Diseases
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on research into idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in each of the last three years. [205398]
Dr Poulter: Expenditure by the Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) through research programmes, research centres and units, and research fellowships on research on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is shown in the following table.
| £ million | |
Total spend by the NIHR on research on this disease is higher than the figures shown because expenditure by the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis cannot be disaggregated from total CRN expenditure.
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department is taking to reduce deaths from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; [205399]
(2) what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that the 2013 idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis guidelines, drawn up by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, are fully implemented; [205400]
(3) how much funding his Department provided for awareness-raising work for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013; [205401]
(4) when the allocation of interstitial lung disease specialist centres will be completed; and when his Department will publish the location of these centres. [205402]
21 July 2014 : Column 995W
Jane Ellison: Reducing mortality and improving outcomes for people with respiratory disease is a key priority for this Government. It is specifically covered in both the Public Health and NHS Outcome Frameworks. NHS England is working to improve the quality of NHS services, and will be held to account through the mandate.
The responsibility for the commissioning of services for interstitial lung disease (ILD) sits under the umbrella of specialised commissioning within NHS England. It has published a service specification for ILD at:
www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/a14-respiratory-inters-lung.pdf
Pages 3 and 4 of this specification set out the overall aim of the specialist service and how a standardised approach to treatment across the country should be delivered.
In line with the implementation of all specialised commissioning specifications, NHS England is undertaking a compliance programme assessing all current providers of ILD services against a set of key requirements from the specification.
Area teams are now working with providers to commission the services and once arrangements have been agreed, the list of ILD centres will be made public. We expect this exercise to be completed later in the year.
In April 2013, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published a technology appraisal advising on the use of Pirfenidone as a treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In June 2013, NICE published its first clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of IPF. The use of other treatments for the management of ILD are also covered by the NICE guidelines. We expect commissioners to have regard to NICE guidelines when commissioning services.
NHS England funds the treatment of patients with Pirfenidone, in line with the NICE appraisal, from centres that are contracted to provide specialised services for patients with ILD.
There were no awareness raising campaigns specifically targeted at IFP in the specified time frame. Though IPF was not directly referenced, Public Health England recently ran a local pilot campaign in Oldham and Rochdale to raise awareness among the public about the importance of visiting their general practitioner with symptoms of breathlessness.
Mass Media: Subscriptions
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what subscriptions to (a) magazines and (b) television channels his Department funds. [205342]
Dr Poulter: The Department does not currently subscribe to any television channels.
The Department subscribes to 174 titles of magazines and journals (in print or electronic format) in 2014. The specific titles are shown in the following list:
African Voice
Age and Ageing-Print and Internet
Ageing and Society-Print and Internet
Alcohol and Alcoholism-Internet
American Economic Association-All 7 Journals
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Supplements
21 July 2014 : Column 996W
American Journal of Epidemiology and Epidemiological Reviews-Print and Internet
Asian Leader
Best
BJOG-an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology-Internet
BMA News
British Journal of Cancer and Supplements
British Journal of General Practice-Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
British Journal of Healthcare Management-Print and Internet
British Journal of Hospital Medicine-Internet
British Journal of Mental Health Nursing-Internet
British Journal of Nutrition-Internet
British Journal of Occupational Therapy
British Journal of Psychiatry-Internet
British Journal of Psychology-Internet
British Journal of Social Work-Internet
British Journal of Surgery-Internet
British Medical Bulletin-Internet
Building
Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics-Internet
Chemist and Druggist-Print and Internet
Child and Adolescent Mental Health-Internet
Clinical Medicine-Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London
Clinical Risk-Internet
Coaching at Work-Internet
Community Care Market News
Community Dental Health-Internet
Community Practitioner
Construction News-London
Current Medical Research and Opinion-Internet
Daily Jang-International Edition
Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin-Print and Internet
EU Food Law-Internet and Print
Eastern Eye
Economics Package-Print and Internet
Economist-UK Edition-Multiple User Access-Internet
Estates Gazette and Directory
European Journal of Cancer and Supplements
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
European Journal of Health Economics Print and Internet
European Journal of Public Health-Print and Internet
European Voice-Internet
Evaluation-Internet
Expert Review of Vaccines-Internet
FT.Com-Internet
Family Practice-Internet
Fiscal Studies-Print and Internet
GM Journal
Global Health Promotion-Internet
Grocer-Print and Internet
Health Care Analysis-Enhanced Access-Internet
Health Care Management Science-Enhanced Access-Internet
Health Care Parliamentary Monitor
Health Economics-Print and Internet
Health Economics Policy and Law-Internet
Health Education Journal-Internet
21 July 2014 : Column 997W
Health Education Research-Internet
Health Informatics Journal-Internet
Health Information and Libraries Journal-Print and Internet
Health Policy-Internet
Health Policy and Planning-Print and Internet
Health Promotion International-Internet
Health Service Journal-Print and Internet
Health Services Management Research-Internet
Health and Social Care in the Community-Print and Internet
Healthcare Market News
House Magazine and Westminster Weekly Business
Human Resource Management Journal-Internet
Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology-Print and Internet
Inside Housing
International Dental Journal-Internet
International Journal for Quality in Health Care-Internet
International Journal of Care Coordination-Internet
International Journal of Epidemiology-Internet
International Journal of Health Services
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion-Internet
International Journal of Obesity
International Social Science Journal-Internet
JCH-Journal of Communication in Healthcare-Internet
Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety-Internet
Journal of Advanced Nursing-Internet
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health-Internet
Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care-Internet
Journal of Health Economics-Print and Internet
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law-Internet
Journal of Health Services Research and Policy-Internet
Journal of Health Visiting-Internet
Journal of Hospital Infection
Journal of Medical Genetics-Internet
Journal of Medical Screening-Print and Internet
Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice-Print and Internet
Journal of Nutrition-Single Site-Internet
Journal of Political Economy-Print and Internet
Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing-Internet
Journal of Public Health-Internet
Journal of Public Mental Health-Print and Internet
Journal of Public Policy-Internet
Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare-Internet
Journal of the American Dental Association-Print and Internet
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine-Print and Internet
LGCplus.com-Local Government Chronicle-Internet
Lancet Oncology
MIMS-Monthly Index of Medical Specialities-UK-Print and Internet
MJ-Municipal Journal
Medical Journal of Australia-Internet
Mental Health Review Journal-Print and Internet
Mental Health Today-Print and Internet
Mental Health and Substance Use-Dual Diagnosis-Internet
Midwives and Evidence Based Midwifery
Muslim News
Muslim Weekly
New England Journal of Medicine
New Literature on Old Age
21 July 2014 : Column 998W
New Statesman
Nursing Standard-Print and Internet
Nursing Times and NT Plus
Nutrition and Health-Internet
Obesity Reviews-Print and Internet
Occupational Medicine-Internet
Oxford Review of Economic Policy-Internet
PRWeek-UK Edition-Print and Premium-Internet
Parliament Magazine
Pediatrics-Print and Internet
Perspectives in Public Health-Print and Internet
Pharmaceutical Journal-Print and Internet
Pharmacoeconomics-Internet
Pick Me Up
Planning
Policy and Politics-Internet
Practising Midwife
Prima Baby
Privacy and Data Protection-Print and E-Mail
Private Eye
Project Manager Today
Property Wee-Internet
Prospect-Internet
Psychological Medicine-Internet
Psychologist
Public Administration-Internet
Public Finance
Public Health Nutrition-Internet
Public Money and Management-Internet
Pulse
Quality in Primary Care-Internet
Radiation Research
Records Management Journal-Internet
Regenerative Medicine-Internet
Research Fortnight
Review of Economics and Statistics-Internet
Risk Analysis-Internet
Safety and Health Practitioner
Saga Magazine
Science in Parliament
Scrip-Print and Internet
Scrip Regulatory Affairs-Internet
Social Science and Medicine-Internet
Spectator
Statistics in Medicine-Internet
System Dynamics Review-Internet
Third Sector-Charities-Voluntary Organisations-Social Enterprise
Tips and Advice Internet
Top Sante-Health and Beauty
Training Journal
Veterinary Record and In Practice-both Print and Internet
Violence Against Women-Internet
Voice B57
Woman's Weekly
Woman's own
Yours
21 July 2014 : Column 999W
Medical Treatments
John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the effect of the highly specialised technologies process on appraisal of new drugs and treatments by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; [205632]
(2) what assessment (a) his Department and (b) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have made of the effectiveness of NICE's approach to appraising highly specialised drugs. [205637]
Norman Lamb: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr O'Brien) on 26 June 2014, Official Report, column 281W.
John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made in implementation of the Coalition Programme to ensure that all patients can access the drugs and treatments their doctors think they need. [205634]
Norman Lamb: Improving access to effective medicines continues to be a priority for the Government.
Patients have the right to drugs and treatments that have been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for use in the national health service, where their doctor believes they are clinically appropriate.
Where a cancer drug is not routinely funded by the NHS, patients may be able to access it through the Cancer Drugs Fund. Since October 2010, over 50,000 patients in England have benefited from the Fund, which was established to help cancer patients access the drugs recommended by their clinician.
The 2014 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme agreement supports the NHS by ensuring that the branded medicines bill covered by the Scheme stays within affordable limits, while patients’ access to NICE recommended drugs will be protected.
Medical Treatments: Innovation
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the written statement of 22 November 2014, Official Report, column 65WS, on the Medical Innovation (No. 2) Bill, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to remove barriers to medical innovation, along the lines set out in that statement. [205635]
Dr Poulter: My noble Friend Lord Saatchi has reintroduced the Medical Innovation Bill in the current parliamentary session as a private peer’s Bill, which had its Second Reading on 27 June. The Government are supportive of the principles of this Bill, but believe it is necessary to amend the Bill to ensure it does not:
put patients at risk;
deter good and responsible innovation;
place an undue bureaucratic burden on the national health service; or
expose doctors to a risk of additional liabilities.
The Bill will proceed through Parliament in the usual way.
21 July 2014 : Column 1000W
Members: Correspondence
Mr Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the right hon. Member for Chelmsford can expect a response from the chief executive of NHS England to his letter of 30 May 2014 on his constituent Mr John McPhee. [205784]
Jane Ellison: NHS England has confirmed that my right hon. Friend’s correspondence is currently being actioned and apologise for not providing a response sooner.
The matters raised by the constituent are currently the subject of an ongoing complaint investigation with the Essex Area Team of NHS England. NHS England can reassure my right hon. Friend that a complaints manager has been in contact with the constituent (who has also raised a complaint direct with NHS England) to discuss their concerns and agree a way forward for resolution.
Mental Health Services
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many training places for mental health talking therapists were (a) commissioned and (b) filled in each of the last five years as part of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme. [206095]
Norman Lamb: Currently we do not centrally hold data on the number of training places commissioned for mental health talking therapists.
The following table shows the number of Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) therapists trained over the last five years, reflecting the needs of a rapidly expanding service, especially to meet demand in the early years.
| Total numbers trained | |
| Source: NHS England | |
Health Education England is working with NHS England to ensure that there are sufficient therapists and other staff with the right skills to support the delivery of the IAPT programme.
Mental Health Services: Lancashire
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Lancashire residents were admitted to a mental health unit that was not their nearest facility in urgent or emergency situations because of a lack of beds since April 2012; how many such patients lived in West Lancashire constituency; and how much has been spent on private sector provision for such patients. [206122]
Norman Lamb: The data are not collected centrally.
21 July 2014 : Column 1001W
Information on out of area placements for mental health patients in Lancashire and the costs of private sector provision for such patients may be obtained from NHS England’s Cheshire, Warrington and Wirral Area Team.
Patients may be referred out of area for specialised mental health treatment for a number of reasons. In all cases, places will be found in the nearest possible facility.
Mental Illness: Homicide
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department is taking to support NHS bodies in assisting the families of those killed by people suffering from mental illness; [206063]
(2) when the new Single Operating Model for investigating mental health homicides for the NHS in England will become operational; [205925]
(3) if he will issue new guidance to NHS Trusts on the timely provision of information to victims’ families following a mental health homicide. [205926]
Norman Lamb: The NHS Serious Incident Framework issued by NHS England in March 2013 updated the National Framework for reporting and learning from serious incidents requiring investigation. It explains the responsibilities for actions and investigations following serious incidents. These include incidents where there may have been shortcomings in NHS-funded care prior to homicides committed by those receiving mental health care services.
The NHS Serious Incident Framework is currently under review, to improve alignment and consistency of serious incident management and to provide further clarity to the NHS about principles, processes and expectations in response to serious incidents. As part of this work, NHS England is keen to develop systems to ensure that investigations are managed in a robust and transparent way. This includes ensuring that the carers and family members of both victims and perpetrators are supported from the onset, including being fully involved in the investigation process and the subsequent action planning and response.
The framework will be published in autumn 2014 and will be implemented by spring 2015.
National Breastfeeding Week
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department allocated to national breastfeeding week in each year since 2010. [206352]
Dr Poulter: The last year for which the Department provided funding for national breastfeeding week was 2010, when the contribution was £110,000.
Since 2011 the Department has collaborated with key partners including the Royal College of Midwives, Public Health England and UNICEF UK to promote national breastfeeding week through material and information on the NHS Choices website that can be used locally.
21 July 2014 : Column 1002W
NHS England
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with NHS England on the (a) prioritisation of NHS funding and (b) that body's policy with regards to its consultation with external stakeholders. [205562]
Dr Poulter: The Government’s Mandate to NHS England sets the overall objectives for the national health service in England. It is then for NHS England and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to decide how to prioritise funding to meet those objectives.
NHS England has responsibility for CCG allocations and these decisions have been taken independently of government. The allocations formula is based on independent academic research and the independent advice of a committee of experts, the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation.
Officials from the Department meet regularly with those from NHS England to talk to them on an ongoing basis on a range of issues relating to the NHS, including finance. Likewise, the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt) meets regularly with both the chief executive and the chair of NHS England.
NHS England Publications Gateway function was established on 1 April 2013 to ensure that all NHS England national communications to NHS commissioners are fit for purpose in terms of content and policy governance. Review and approval from the Patients and Public Partnerships Lead and from the national Stakeholder Team for all publications is mandatory so that consultation proposals, any stakeholder engagement (internal and external), and responses accord with principles of better regulation and existing Government Code of Practice on Consultation. This is to ensure that the NHS England's extensive consultation exercises and responses follow best practice in terms of public consultation and engagement.
The prioritisation of funding was published on the NHS England website for the NHS England board meeting in December 2013:
http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/bm-item7.pdf
The board paper entitled “Allocation of resources to NHS England and the commissioning sector for 2014/15 and 2015/16” summarises the consultation at paragraph 4:
“In light of NHS England’s commitment to transparency and the significant continuing interest in allocations policy reflected in correspondence and FOI enquiries, the review team has held four regional workshops on allocations over the last few months which have been attended by nearly 400 representatives from CCGs, local authorities and providers. There has also been ongoing dialogue with the Commissioning Assembly, and a Finance and Planning subgroup has recently been formed to collaborate with NHS England’s finance leadership on the linked topics of allocations and the proposed strategic planning programme”.
NHS: Procurement
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and which private sector companies awarded NHS contracts have subcontracted work from NHS hospitals and surgeries to prisons in England; and which prisons are involved in such contracts. [206161]
21 July 2014 : Column 1003W
Norman Lamb: This information is not collected centrally by NHS England.
NHS: Sexual Offences
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many claims of sexual abuse within the NHS were made to the NHS Litigation Authority in each year since 2010. [206094]
Dr Poulter: The number of claims notified to the NHS Litigation Authority which have been identified as relating to sexual abuse within the national health service in each year since 2010 are as follows:
| Financial Year | Number of claims (clinical and non-clinical) |
Pay
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many officials employed by his Department, of each grade, have remained at that grade since 2010 but received a pay rise; and how much of a rise each such person at each such grade has received. [205458]
Dr Poulter: The information available within proportional cost limits is presented in the following three tables:
| Table 1: Numbers of staff by grade, as at 31 March 2014, who have remained at their current grade since 31 March 2010 | |
| Grade | Headcount |
| Table 2: Pay awards by grade | ||||
| Grade | 2010-111 | 2011-122 | 2012-132 | 2013-143 |
| 1 The 2010-11 pay award for staff below SCS was based on a combination of the individual's performance assessment and their position in pay range, varying from 3% to 4.5%. The SCS did not receive a pay award. 2 In 2011-12 and 2012-13, there was no pay award due to the public sector pay freeze, with the exception of staff paid less than £21,000 who received a £250 cash uplift. 3 In 2013-14 staff received a cash base pay award, equivalent to 1% of the median pay for the grade. | ||||
21 July 2014 : Column 1004W
| Table 3: Average pay increases by grade, over the period of 31 March 2010 to 31 March 2014, for staff who remained at their grade over that period. | ||
| Grade | Average pay increase (£) | Average percentage pay increase (%) |
Postnatal Depression
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training health visitors receive to (a) detect, (b) refer and (c) support women with Postnatal Depression. [206096]
Dr Poulter: The additional 4,200 health visitors being delivered by 2015 will be offered training so they can detect the early signs of postnatal depression and ensure all women get support during and after birth.
In addition to their core training, health visitors are able to enhance their skills and knowledge in the context of their specific roles. Earlier this year, we commissioned the training of 375 perinatal mental health champions who have now been trained across England. The perinatal champions have responsibility for cascading their training in their local areas—to facilitate the spread of knowledge and practice among colleagues. In addition to the training of champions, all health visitors are able to access perinatal mental health e-learning modules.
The Maternal Mental Health Pathway1 was developed by health visitors and midwives and is a woman and family-centred approach that facilitates good communication between all those involved in care. It includes auditable referral systems/pathways between acute, primary and specialist care from antenatal period through to the postnatal period.
1Published by the Department of Health, August 2012
Pregnant Women
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his assessment is of the trial publication online of the red book for expectant mothers. [206354]
Dr Poulter: The Personal Child Health Record, commonly known as the red book, is not a departmental publication but has been part of children's services in the national health service for the last 20 years. Its content and format are overseen by a multi-disciplinary group hosted by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH). The RCPCH is working in partnership with Sitekit Ltd, the developers of the online red book, and will undertake an assessment of the product on its completion.
21 July 2014 : Column 1005W
Procurement
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many contracts (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies (i) have let and (ii) plan to let that are worth (A) between £1 million and £3 million and (B) over £3 million since 2010; how much his Department has spent on monitoring each such contract; and how many officials in his Department monitor each contract. [205371]
Dr Poulter: A search to identify the proportion and value of the Department’s contracts that have been let or planned to be let and spend on monitoring these contracts would incur a disproportionate cost. Information on the value of all contracts let cannot be provided without further detailed analysis being carried out.
Under this Government’s transparency programme, for all contracts over £10,000 the Department now additionally publishes details of these on Contracts Finder which is available at:
www.gov.uk/contracts-finder
Of the Department’s Executive agencies, these are:
1. Public Health England (PHE)—Contracts let between £1 million and £3 million since 2010: 6, Contracts let over £3 million since 2010: 10, Contracts planned to be let between £1 million and £3 million: 0. Contracts planned to be let over £3 million: 1.
PHE have only existed since 1 April 2013 and do not maintain records to show the precise amount of time spent monitoring contracts as a range of factors contribute to the actual time spent on this activity.
2. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency—Contracts let between £1 million and £3 million per year since 2010: 1, Contracts let over £3 million per year since 2010: 3, Contracts planned to be let between £1 million and £3 million per year : 2, Contracts planned to be let over £3 million: 1. The agency does not measure the cost of tendering, implementing and managing its contracts. This task is undertaken by the agency’s procurement team together with the contracts end users. The procurement team consist of three individuals (Grade 7, senior executive officer and higher executive officer), they have over 300 contracts on record with a total contract value of £160 million.
Of the Department’s non-departmental public bodies, these are:
3. Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority confirm no information held.
4. Human Tissue Authority confirm no information held.
5. Monitor—Contracts let between £1 million and £3 million since 2010: 11, Contracts let over £3 million since 2010: 2, Contracts planned to be let between £1 million and £3 million: 3. Contracts planned to be let over £3 million: None. Spend on monitoring each contract: average of £16,000 per contract, comprising the cost of the estimated staff time for each contract. Number of officials monitoring each contract: average of 0.2 FTE per contract.
6. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) confirmed since 2010, it has let 2 contracts worth between £1 million and £3 million and 16 contracts that are over £3 million. In addition, from the present time to nine months from now, NICE plan to let 3 contracts worth between £1 million and £3 million and 2 contracts over £3 million.
NICE does not hold information on how much is spent monitoring each contract. Each contract is assigned to a designated contract manager. However, this does not equate to the whole time equivalent of the post as each contract makes up a small part of a much broader role.
7. NHS England—NHS England’s scheme of delegation authorises area directors (the budget holders) to negotiate and sign contracts and there is no central contract database. Across England there are tens of thousands of contracts which would need to be
21 July 2014 : Column 1006W
reviewed in order to collate the information being requested. Even calculated using the lowest estimates (10,000 contracts each taking one minute to locate and review) we estimate that it would take NHS England 167 hours to compile this information. This would therefore entail a disproportionate cost.
8. Care Quality Commission—Contracts let between £1 million and £3 million since 2010: 23, Contracts let over £3 million since 2010: 5, Contracts planned to be let between £1 million and £3 million: Nil, Contracts planned to be let over £3 million: 2.
9. Health and Social Care information Centre (HSCIC)—confirmed since 2010, it has let 13 contracts worth between £1 million and £3 million and 9 contracts that are over £3 million. HSCIC further plan to let 3 contracts worth between £1 million and £3 million and 4 contracts over £3 million.
These contracts are managed by multidisciplinary teams throughout the organisation, including procurement, finance, technical, estates and project management teams and a full breakdown for each contract is not available. All contracts above are monitored by a team of 17 procurement colleagues costing £655,153 (2013-14 figures). However, this team also oversees a significant number of sub £1 million contracts across the organisation.
Note:
The contract numbers are from information readily available. HSCIC are currently working to build a more comprehensive contracts database to better and more accurately answer similar queries in the future. These numbers do not include contracts which HSCIC or legacy organisations have/plan to let on behalf of the Department or NHS England.
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department paid to (a) G4S, (b) Serco, (c) Sodexo, (d) GEOAmey, (e) Capita, (f) Atos, (g) Mitie, (h) Working Links, (i) A4E, (j) MTC Amey, (k) GEO Group and (l) Carillion in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13 and (iv) 2013-14. [205688]
Dr Poulter: As part of the Department’s transparency programme, any spend over £25,000 is available on the Department’s website. Since January 2011, all contracts over £10,000 in value are published on Contracts Finder.
www.contractsfinder.co.uk/
Public Opinion
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much (a) his Department, (b) NHS England and (c) Public Health England spent on opinion polling and focus groups in 2013-14. [205867]
Dr Poulter: The Department has funded opinion polling and focus groups, but extracting the amount of spend could be done only at disproportionate cost.
NHS England’s complete spend can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Figures for separately identified work programmes are available in the following table.
| Cost centre | Actual expenditure 2013-14 (£) |
Public Health England spent an overall £54,000 on opinion polling groups and a total of £4,350 on focus groups in 2013-14.
21 July 2014 : Column 1007W
Radiotherapy
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individual funding requests per indication were received by NHS England for radiotherapy treatment in the last financial year; and how many requests, per indication, were refused by NHS England. [205953]
Norman Lamb: Since April 2013, radiotherapy treatment has been planned and paid for nationally by NHS England.
NHS England has informed us that information on the number of individual funding requests made to NHS England is not currently available. NHS England is improving its data collection mechanisms and aims to improve availability of such information in the future.
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will request NHS England to authorise the use of Gamma Knife for NHS patients at University College Hospital London; [206028]
(2) for what reasons NHS England is instructing hospitals with patients presenting as clinically urgent to treat such patients with innovative radiotherapy at the hospital’s financial risk while it decides whether to fund the patient; and how hospitals which have followed that instruction receive reimbursement for that expenditure if NHS England subsequently refuses to fund the treatment. [205954]
Jane Ellison: NHS England is an independent arm’s length body and since 1 April 2013, it has been responsible for commissioning all radiotherapy services, including stereotactic radiosurgery. Gamma Knife treatment has been available to all patients who meet clinical criteria, without the need for individual funding requests, under NHS England’s national clinical commissioning policies for specialised services.
University College London Hospital is not contracted by NHS England, nor was it contracted by former primary care trusts, to provide Gamma Knife services. It is for this reason that national health service patients cannot normally be treated at this facility. Instead, NHS patients requiring Gamma Knife treatment should be treated by the Gamma Knife services commissioned by the NHS, that have been shown to meet NHS England service specifications. These can be accessed by patients in London without a waiting time, fully maintaining the continuity of their care and normally with the same consultant and clinical team.
All patients need to be treated in accordance with the prescribed clinical pathways and in line with contractual agreements with providers.
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which senior medical and administrative staff responsible for the operation of the Gamma Knife Centre at St Bartholomew's Hospital Trust are employees of (a) the trust and (b) the Hospital Corporation of America; [206125]
(2) what contractual arrangement is in place between the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) and St Bartholomew's Hospital Trust regarding (a) ownership of the Gamma Knife and (b) leases that HCA may have in relation to the property; [206111]
21 July 2014 : Column 1008W
(3) how much St Bartholomew's Hospital Trust invested in the establishment of its Gamma Knife Centre in 2009; what the source of such funding was; and how much of that investment has since been recouped; [206112]
(4) what the revenue division is between the Hospital Corporation of America and St Bartholomew's Hospital Trust London for fees charged to NHS England for treating NHS patients on the Gamma Knife housed in St Bartholomew's Hospital. [206113]
Jane Ellison: We are advised that three senior neurosurgery consultants are responsible for the Gamma Knife operation at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, along with one neuro interventional radiologist and two clinical oncologists. All are employed by Barts Health NHS Trust, and are overseen by the Clinical Director for Neurosciences and the Group Director for Emergency Care and Acute Medicine, both of whom are clinicians.
HCA employs one senior administrator, the Acting Chief Operating Officer for the Harley Street Clinic, along with the physicist and nursing staff and an administration co-ordinator who work in the Gamma Knife centre at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.
We are advised that HCA owns the Gamma Knife based at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and that HCA pays a rental fee to Barts Health NHS Trust.
We understand that, as the Gamma Knife was purchased by HCA, St Bartholomew’s Hospital (then part of Barts and The London NHS Trust) incurred minimal set-up costs for the establishment of the service in 2009. This included costs for associated building work to accommodate the facility.
Gamma Knife surgery is funded by NHS England as the commissioner for all specialist services. We are advised that Barts Health NHS Trust receives approximately £9,200 per patient from NHS England and that HCA charges Barts Health £7,310 per patient treated by the Gamma Knife facility at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.
If the hon. Member wishes to obtain further information about the Gamma Knife facility at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, he may wish to contact Barts Health NHS Trust directly.
Respiratory System
Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the recommendations of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Respiratory Health's report on respiratory deaths; and if he will ask NHS England to issue a formal response to that report. [205682]
Jane Ellison: NHS England has assessed the recommendations of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Respiratory Health’s report on respiratory deaths. It has already taken action in respect of several of the recommendations. For example, it has put forward asthma as one of the priority areas for consideration for a national clinical audit. It is also exploring scope for improving the provision of asthma action plans as part of a programme of improvement work around the care of children with asthma. This is being taken forward in partnership with the Strategic Clinical Networks.
21 July 2014 : Column 1009W
Social Services: North West
Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adults with (a) autism and (b) learning disabilities accessed care and support under the Fair Access to Care Standards eligibility criteria in (i) Preston constituency, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) North West England since 2010. [205624]
Norman Lamb: The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) does not collect any data on the number of adults with autism accessing care and support under the Fair Access to Care Services eligibility criteria nor does it collect any data on the number of adults with learning disabilities accessing care and support in the Fair Access to Care Services eligibility criteria.
The revised guidance ‘Prioritising need in the context of Putting People First: A whole system government approach to eligibility for social care’ which came into effect in April 2010, replaces the Fair Access to Care Services guidance issued by the Department in 2003. A copy of the revised guidance has already been placed in the Library.
HSCIC has been able to provide the number of clients with learning disabilities receiving services each year since 2010 as follows:
| Number of Learning Disability Services Users receiving services provided or commissioned by a Council with Social Services Responsibilities | |||||
| 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | Total | |
Spinal Injuries
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many beds in each UK spinal cord injury centre have been ring fenced for the treatment of spinal cord injured readmissions or outpatients in each of the last five years; [206236]
(2) how many beds in each UK spinal cord injury centre are ring fenced for the exclusive treatment of spinal cord injured readmissions or outpatients; [206237]
(3) if he will investigate the alleged misallocation of the specialist spinal injury beds at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and the use by non-spinal cord injury patients. [206238]
Jane Ellison: NHS England’s Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) service specification clearly sets out what providers must have in place to offer evidence-based, safe and effective services. It sets a core requirement that each specialised SCI Centre (SCIC) can demonstrate they have a minimum of 20 beds dedicated exclusively for the treatment and rehabilitation of SCI patients. Specialised SCI Services encompass all activity for SCI patients provided by the host trust of the SCIC, including any readmission or attendance for SCI-related care, wherever the treatment is located in the trust. A copy of the specification can be found at the following link:
www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/d13-spinal-cord-0414.pdf
21 July 2014 : Column 1010W
NHS England is aware that a number of beds in one ward at Stoke Mandeville spinal injuries unit are being used as escalation beds by medical specialties to assist with patient flow. It is planned for these beds to re-open as specialist spinal beds from September 2014.
Training
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many awaydays his Department has held for officials in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 to date; and what the cost was of each such event. [205294]
Dr Poulter: The Department is committed to developing its staff and equipping them with the skills and knowledge to carry out their work. Awaydays and other similar team based development activities make a contribution to such development.
This type of development activity is typically arranged by individual teams in the Department. No central records of these events are kept, so to collect this information from the Department’s directorates would incur disproportionate costs.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on what (a) media training and (b) social media training for (i) him and (ii) Ministers in his Department since May 2010. [205310]
Dr Poulter: The Department has spent £587.50 on media training for Ministers since May 2010.
Universal Credit
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2014, Official Report, column 712W, on universal credit, how many claimants will be able to access free prescriptions, eye tests and dental care once universal credit has been fully rolled out. [205938]
Norman Lamb: The Government intend that broadly the same number of individuals will be entitled to free prescriptions, free eye tests and free dental care, via universal credit as are entitled via current qualifying benefits or tax credits. There are roughly 6 million people in England currently on these benefits, and consequently entitled to free prescriptions, free eye tests and free dental care.
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2014, Official Report, column 668W, on universal credit, what definition he uses for lowest earning families; and what criteria he uses to assess members of this category. [205939]
Dr Poulter: Healthy Start currently supports approximately half a million pregnant women and children under four in families claiming income based benefits and tax credits. Our intention is to ensure that a broadly similar number, and range, of universal credit families will qualify for Healthy Start in future. We are currently discussing with the Department for Work and Pensions the options for achieving this, while also ensuring that the solution is simple, fair, and easy to understand for families.
21 July 2014 : Column 1011W
Wheelchairs
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on wheelchairs and wheelchair vouchers by each clinical commissioning group in each of the last four years. [205869]
Norman Lamb: Information on spending on wheelchairs and wheelchair vouchers by each clinical commissioning group is not held centrally. Information on spending on wheelchairs and wheelchair vouchers by primary care trusts prior to 31 March 2013 is not held centrally.
World Health Organisation
Mr Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of the World Health Organisation budget was contributed by the Government in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what the sterling value of that contribution was; [206203]
(2) what proportion of the UK contribution to the World Health Organisation budget is counted towards the Government’s target of contributing 0.7 per cent of gross national product to international development. [206205]
Jane Ellison: The total World Health Organisation (WHO) revenue for 2013 was $2614 million; the United Kingdom contributed $312.2 million of that, which represented 11.9% of the WHO’s budget. The UK total contribution comprised of $30.7 million, assessed contributions and $281.5 million, voluntary contributions. This is around 185 million in sterling. The total UK contribution to WHO in 2013 also includes funding to WHO hosted partnerships such as Stop TB partnership, partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, and Roll Back Malaria partnership.
All of this UK funding contributes to the Government’s 0.7% international development target.
Mr Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what formula determines the proportion of the World Health Organisation annual budget that should be contributed by each member state government; and when that formula was last updated. [206204]
Jane Ellison:
The proportion of assessed contribution, the amount the United Kingdom is required to pay to the World Health Organization (WHO), which excludes any additional voluntary contributions, is based on the United Nations (UN) scale of assessments. The Government believes that UN member states should share fair and balanced financial responsibility for supporting international institutions through “capacity to pay”, as their national economies develop and presses
21 July 2014 : Column 1012W
for reform to this end. In 2012 the UK successfully negotiated a reduction in our rate of contribution to the UN Regular Budget, falling from 6.6% to 5.2%. This generated savings of around £100 million a year for HM Government through linkages between the scale rate for the Regular Budgets and those used to calculate member states’ contributions to the budgets of many other UN bodies, including the WHO. This was applied to the UK’s assessed contribution to WHO, with effect from 2014, the start of the current biennium.
Mr Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what audit has taken place in each of the last five financial years of the extent to which the uses to which the UK contribution to the World Health Organisation budget has been put have met Government objectives; and what those objectives were. [206206]
Jane Ellison: The World Health Organization (WHO) is audited every year by an external auditor; its accounts have been unqualified for the last five years. The United Kingdom, as all member states, has oversight of WHO through the governing body meetings; this oversight function has increased from May 2014, by the UK becoming a member of the Executive Board and the Programme Budget and Administration Committee. The UK has participated fully in the process to agree the priorities of WHO, most recently agreeing the general programme of work for 2014-19 and the programme budget 2014-15, which have included action on our priority areas such as on antimicrobial resistance, malaria, and reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health.
Written Questions
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on responding to parliamentary questions where the subject file or letter is within the scope of the Official Secrets Act 1989. [205433]
Dr Poulter: I refer the hon. Member to the guidance on drafting answers to parliamentary questions on
www.gov.uk
www.gov.uk/government/publications/drafting-answers-to-parliamentary-questions-guidance
The guidance makes clear that Ministers should be as open as possible with Parliament and the public and only withhold information where its disclosure would not be in the public interest. Such public interest would be determined with the relevant legislation in mind (Freedom of Information, Data Protection and the Official Secrets Acts etc).