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2 Nov 2009 : Column WA12
| EEA Medical Costs | ||
| Financial Year 2008-09 | Income received (1) | Payment made (1) |
| Country | £ | £ |
- 1. Payments made or received in one year do not necessarily relate to claims for that year nor do they reflect the full value of claims for that year
Health: Heart and Lung Disease
Question
Asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been invested into research into sudden arrhythmic death syndrome and flash pulmonary oedema in each of the past five years for which figures are available. [HL5807]
Baroness Thornton: Neither the department nor the Medical Research Council (MRC) has in recent years funded any research directly concerned with sudden arrhythmic death syndrome or flash pulmonary oedema. The MRC supports a broad portfolio of cardiac and pulmonary research which may in time increase our understanding of the causes of the conditions.
2 Nov 2009 : Column WA13
Health: Hydration
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 20 October (WA 60), how patients over 18 are made aware of their rights to request hydration in advance of any treatment. [HL5946]
Baroness Thornton: All patients are entitled to oral nutrition and hydration without the need to make a request.
Where a patient has difficulty in taking fluids orally, the healthcare team are expected to assess their condition and requirements for hydration. Various forms of artificial nutrition and hydration may help prolong and improve the quality of a patient's life, but potential benefits may be accompanied by problems and complications. Decisions in these difficult cases should be taken in accordance with professional guidance. If artificial hydration might prolong a patient's life, and the patient has the capacity to make decisions about their care, the clinician is expected to discuss with the patient the benefits, disadvantages and risks so that they can make an informed decision about their future treatment. If artificial hydration might prolong the patient's life and the patient lacks capacity, those close to the patient should be fully involved in making a decision which serves the patient's best interests.
Health: Stroke Patients
Question
Asked by Lord Taylor of Holbeach
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to their report Building a Society for all ages (pages 39-40), what is the minimum viable number of admissions for stroke damage for a hospital to have (a) a stroke physician, and (b) a dedicated stroke unit; and how many hospitals did not meet those criteria in 2008. [HL5831]
Baroness Thornton: There is no evidence on which to base guidance on minimum levels of stroke admissions to warrant a stroke physician and specialist stroke unit. The goal, as articulated in the stroke strategy (a copy of which has already been placed in the Library), is to provide equitable access across communities to such facilities and at the same time to ensure maximum effectiveness and best use of resources.
The configuration of stroke services will depend on a number of factors, for example the geography of the area and the age profile of the local population. Commissioners will therefore need to decide which configuration of services best meets the needs of their locality. This could range from fully specified free-standing rural hospitals, through networked groups of units across regions to hub and spoke arrangements in dense urban areas. New technologies, such as telemedicine, can afford solutions to providing services in rural areas.
2 Nov 2009 : Column WA14
Health: Tuberculosis
Question
Asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their current and future funding commitments to the Find and Treat tuberculosis project in London. [HL5966]
Baroness Thornton: The Find and Treat (F&T) project has department funding to the end of 2010. We aim to provide an evaluation of the effectiveness of the project that will provide London commissioners with the evidence they need to decide on future funding for the project, and the department continues to liaise with NHS London over options for future service provision.
However, tuberculosis service organisation is ultimately a matter for local National Health Service management, and it will need to decide on the future of Find and Treat when the department funding ceases.
International Day of Non-Violence
Question
Asked by Lord King of West Bromwich
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they promoted 2 October as an international day of non-violence, as designated by the United Nations as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. [HL5552]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): In order to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) closed all of its offices in India on 2 October 2009. The FCO did not actively promote 2 October as the international day of non-violence.
The UK played a key role in establishing 21 September as the UN global international day of peace and a day of global ceasefire and non-violence through co-sponsorship with Costa Rica. In support of this day, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and UK allied forces in Helmand, Afghanistan, did not engage in offensive military operations on 21 September 2009.
Iran: Embassy
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made, or will make, representations to the appropriate authorities concerning the possible change of name of the street where the Iranian embassy is located to Neda Agha-Soltan Avenue to mark the death of Neda Agha-Soltan following the election in Iran in June. [HL5702]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): We have no plans to make representations on changing the name of the street where the Iranian embassy is located. We have repeatedly made clear our concern over the violence, detention and deaths of Iranians which followed the Iranian presidential elections in June, including the killing of Neda Agha-Soltan.
2 Nov 2009 : Column WA15
Iraq: Birth Defects
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government what reports they have received regarding the incidence of congenital abnormalities in babies born since the offensive in Fallujah. [HL5767]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not have any information of its own on this, although we are aware of reports which occasionally appear in the media on congenital abnormalities in babies born in or near Fallujah and of the periodic referral of this issue to the UN.
In Iraq more broadly, there are media estimates that cancers in northern Iraq increased five to tenfold following Saddam Hussein's use of chemical weapons during the Anfal campaign in 1988.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what investigations are being ordered into the reports of congenital abnormalities in babies born in Iraq, since the war, and Fallujah in particular. [HL5768]
Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not asked for any investigations to be so conducted.
Israel and Palestine
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the Government of Israel about the alleged deaths of two Palestinians, the wounding of 75 others, the destruction of 3,400 trees and the killing of 25 sheep, caused by Israeli colonists on the West Bank since the beginning of 2009. [HL5771]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): We are concerned by recent reports of attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank. The UK has consistently condemned such acts of violence. We continue to urge the Israeli authorities to enforce the rule of law and take action to prevent such incidents.
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