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Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 11 November (WA 169), on what numbers of British pensioners living in the Republic of Ireland and Irish pensioners living in the United Kingdom European Union healthcare payments are based; and what were the average annual healthcare payments made by and to the Republic of Ireland since the system commenced. [HL695]
Baroness Thornton: The United Kingdom (UK) is currently responsible for the healthcare costs of 43,600 British pensioners living in the Republic of Ireland. The corresponding figure for Irish pensioners living in the UK is 3,017. Payments made over the past three years are included in the following table:
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | ||
Health: Drugs
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 15 October (WA 30), how the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency monitors the safety of benzodiazepines; and how they assess that monitoring. [HL912]
Baroness Thornton: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) monitors the safety of all medicines in the United Kingdom and, where necessary, takes action to safeguard public health.
The Yellow Card Scheme, by which healthcare professionals and patients report suspected adverse drug reactions, enables signals of drug safety issues to be detected. In the light of evidence of dependence associated with benzodiazepine use, which emerged in the 1980s, regulatory action was taken to provide advice about limiting treatment duration, extensive warnings about the risks of dependence and advice on gradual withdrawal.
The MHRA uses other sources of data to support and clarify information from spontaneous reporting and the impact of regulatory action, including published research and drug safety studies. In evaluating these, the MHRA receives regular expert advice from its independent scientific advisory bodies, the Commission on Human Medicines and its Pharmacovigilance Expert Advisory Group.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for raising awareness among general practitioners of the risks of dependence on prescribed drugs. [HL913]
Baroness Thornton: The department is currently conducting its review into addiction to over-the-counter and prescribed drugs, which is expected to report later in 2010. Any future advice to general practitioners will
5 Jan 2010 : Column WA51
Any future guidance will build on previous advice provided to clinicians, such as guidance from the British National Formulary and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in relation to safe prescribing of benzodiazepines and Z-drugs.
Health: Haematology
Question
Asked by Lord Campbell-Savours
To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence has been made available to the National Health Service about the accuracy of CoaguChek S equipment when tested against laboratory-tested samples of blood. [HL910]
Baroness Thornton: There is no requirement to collect this centrally and no information has been made available to the National Health Service.
Health: Working-age Population
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress is being made in replacing paper sick notes with electronic fit notes, and introducing health at work co-ordinators and the national centre for working age health, following Dame Carol Black's review of the health of Britain's working-age population. [HL563]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): We have set out how we intend to improve the health of the working-age population in Improving health and work: changing lives, the Government's response to Dame Carol Black's review of the health of Britain's working-age population.
We are making good progress working across government to take this agenda forward, in partnership with key stakeholders like employers, the NHS, healthcare professionals, trade unions and insurers.
The Government intend to introduce a revised medical statement in April 2010. We are working with colleagues in GB health departments to try to ensure that the new certificate is delivered in an electronic format. However, specific delivery timetables are dependent on commercial partners who provide relevant IT systems to primary care.
We are also establishing a Health, Work and Well-being Co-ordinator role within each English region and in Scotland and Wales. The co-ordinators will champion integrated approaches to health, employment and skills support, encourage local public sector employers as exemplars and build engagement with small businesses.
5 Jan 2010 : Column WA52
Eight out of the 11 co-ordinators are in post; two have been appointed and will be in post shortly. We are currently interviewing for the other co-ordinator post.
The network launch of the Health, Work and Well-being Co-ordinators took place on 8 December 2009 and this successful event brought together senior government officials, policy advisors and representatives from the business world that have an interest in the promotion of health, work and well-being initiatives.
Additionally, we have been clarifying the objectives and the working model for the National Centre for Working Age Health and Well-being with stakeholders. We hope to be able to start the tendering process within the next month.
Healthcare: Funding
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 7 December (WA 87), what were the average annual healthcare payments made by and to Germany since the system commenced. [HL694]
Baroness Thornton: The available information is set out in the following table. Comparable information for previous years is not available.
| European Economic Area Medical Costs | |
|
Average Annual Cash Payments by Germany 2002-03 to 2008-09 £180,758.22 |
Average Annual Cash Payments to Germany 2002-03 to 2008-09 £8,740,594.05 |
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 7 December (WA 87), what were the average annual healthcare payments made by and to (a) France, and (b) Spain, in each of the last three years; what were the respective totals since the system commenced; and whether they will withhold further payments until a review of the calculation system is agreed with those countries. [HL746]
Baroness Thornton: Under European Union Regulations (1408/71) European Economic Area (EEA) member states reimburse each other for the cost of providing healthcare to each other's tourists, workers, pensioners and the dependants of both groups. Under these regulations, payments are either made on an actual or average cost basis, and cannot be withheld.
The following tables show the average annual payments for the past three years made by and to France and Spain.
| EEA Medical Costs | |
|
Average Annual Cash Payments by France 2006-07 to 2008-09 £3,400,422 |
Average Annual Cash Payments to France 2006-07 to 2008-09 £118,482,415 |
5 Jan 2010 : Column WA53
| EEA Medical Costs | |
|
Average Annual Cash Payments by Spain 2006-07 to 2008-09 £2,260,541 |
Average Annual Cash Payments to Spain 2006-07 to 2008-09 £139,694,639 |
The following tables show the actual cash payments by and to France and Spain for the past seven years. Comparable information for previous years is not available.
| EEA Medical Costs | ||
| Financial Year | Cash Payments by France | Cash Payments to France |
| EEA Medical Costs | ||
| Financial Year | Cash Payments by Spain | Cash Payments to Spain |
HMS "Hibernia"
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the process followed in naming the Royal Naval Reserve unit HMS Hibernia; by whom; and who was consulted. [HL807]
The Minister for International Defence and Security (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): Consultation between the Commander Maritime Reserves, Naval Historical Branch and the Ships Names and Badges Committee was undertaken before final approval to the name HMS Hibernia was given by the First Sea Lord.
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