Week of 28^th April Contents Major Developments Links to information on recent major developments. The Week Ahead Upcoming business in Westminster. This Past Week Links to the business of both houses that has taken place over the last week. Including Ministerial and Prime Ministers Questions, debates in both houses and in Westminster Hall, links to written statements and answers and details of other Parliamentary bodies. DH, NHS and other agencies Links to the main news from the Department of Health and the NHS, the Healthcare Commission, Monitor and other relevant bodies. Including topical health issues, links and recent publications. APHG and Website Information from the APHG including: News on forthcoming events, links to our own site, and access to constituency health data. Useful Links Links to other health pages.

Major Developments (24^th – 28^th April)

Independent Sector Treatment Centres Inquiry

The Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP, Secretary of State for Health, Sir Ian Carruthers OBE, Acting Chief Executive of the NHS, Mr Hugh Taylor CB, Acting Permanent Secretary and Dr Bill Kirkup, Acting Deputy Chief Medical Officer all gave evidence to the Health Select Committee’s enquiry into ISTCs on Wednesday in the last of the oral evidence sessions. At the session the Secretary of State, Patricia Hewitt, announced a review of the quality of care provided by ISTCs to be carried out by the Healthcare Commission.

NHS Deficits Inquiry

The Health Select Committee have announced that they are to hold an inquiry into NHS deficits. Further details of the enquiry are to be released soon. 

New National Director for Health and Work Named

Professor Dame Carol Black, the President of the Royal College of Physicians, has been named as the Government's first ever National Director for Health and Work. She will spearhead initiatives promoting and improving health in the workplace, ensuring that people with health conditions and disabilities are supported to enter, return to and continue in work.

Heart Surgery Survival Rates Published

The Healthcare Commission and the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery have joined forces to launch a website with information on outcomes of heart surgery. This is the first time the public have had access to this information.

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The Week Ahead (1^st – 4^th May)

Wednesday 3^rd May

House of Commons: Adjournment: Grant Shapps MP: NHS missed appointments.

Thursday 4^th May

House of Commons: Debate on the Government’s strategy to improve the life chances of disabled people on a Motion for the Adjournment of the House.

Friday 5^th May

The National Audit Office are set to publish a report this week on Out of Hours Services. The study will assess the progress Primary Care Trusts have made in commissioning sustainable services, what the outcomes for patients have been and how much progress has been made in developing integrated urgent care arrangements. For full details, please click here.   

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This Past Week (24^th – 28^th April)

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Health Questions l Questions to the Prime Minister l Westminster Hall Debates l Written Ministerial Statements l Chamber and Legislation l Written Answers (A-Z) l The Committee Corridor l Early Day Motions

HOUSE OF LORDS

Lords Chamber l Written Answers (Lords)

OTHER PARLIAMENTARY BODIES

Private Legislation l National Audit Office

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HOUSE OF COMMONS

Parliamentary Health Questions – Answered in the Chamber

There were no health questions this week.

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Questions to the Prime Minister (26^th April)

Mr. David Cameron (Witney) – The sacking of nurses

Mr. Adrian Sanders (Torbay) – The NICE verdict on inhaled insulin treatment

Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston) – NHS staffing

Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth and Camborne) – NHS cuts in Cornwall

Michael Jabez Foster (Hastings and Rye) – PCT restructuring

John Penrose (Weston-super-Mare) – Cuts at Weston-Super-Mare hospital

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Business of the House (27^th April)

Mrs. Theresa May (Maidenhead) – The state of the NHS: Staffing and contracts

Mr. David Heath (Somerton and Frome) – NHS staff cuts

Anne Moffat (East Lothian) – Nursing

Mr. Owen Paterson (North Shropshire) – Herceptin and the postcode lottery

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Westminster Hall Debates

Tuesday 25^th April

Biotechnology Industry

Parkinson's Disease

Wednesday 26^th April

Health Services (Wiltshire)

King Edward VII Hospital

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Written Ministerial Statements

Wednesday 26^th April

NHS Foundation Trust Applications (Wave 2)

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Chamber and Legislation

Tuesday 25^th April

Nuffield Speech and Language Unit

Wednesday 26^th April

Waiting Lists

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Written Answers (A-Z by subject) – Select a letter.

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A l B l C l D l E l F l G l H l I l J l K l L l M l N l O l P l Q l R l S l T l U l V l W l X l Y l Z
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A

A and E Departments [25 Apr 2006]

Acute Hospital Beds [26 Apr 2006]

Administration Spending [27 Apr 2006]

Advertising and Marketing [25 Apr 2006]

Agenda for Change [25 Apr 2006]

Agenda for Change [27 Apr 2006]

Altnagelvin Hospital Trust [24 Apr 2006]

Alzheimer's Disease [25 Apr 2006]

Alzheimer's Disease [27 Apr 2006]

Ambulance Services [24 Apr 2006]

Asthma [27 Apr 2006]

Audiology Tests [24 Apr 2006]

Avian Influenza [25 Apr 2006]

Avian Influenza [26 Apr 2006]

Avian Influenza [26 Apr 2006]

Avian Influenza [26 Apr 2006]

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B

BCG Vaccinations [25 Apr 2006]

BCG Vaccinations [26 Apr 2006]

Bird Flu [25 Apr 2006]

Birth Statistics [26 Apr 2006]

Blindness [26 Apr 2006]

Bone Marrow Donors [27 Apr 2006]

Bowel Cancer Screening [25 Apr 2006]

BACK TO ALPHABETS

C

Cancer [24 Apr 2006]

Capita [26 Apr 2006]

Capita Group [25 Apr 2006]

Care Homes [27 Apr 2006]

Carlisle Primary Care Trust [27 Apr 2006]

Cheshire Mersey Strategic Health Authority [25 Apr 2006]

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service [24 Apr 2006]

Children's Hospices [26 Apr 2006]

Cholesterol [24 Apr 2006]

Choose and Book [25 Apr 2006]

Choose and Book System [24 Apr 2006]

Choosing Health [27 Apr 2006]

Christmas Parties [25 Apr 2006]

Clinical Trials [25 Apr 2006]

ComMedica [25 Apr 2006]

ComMedica [27 Apr 2006]

Community Hospitals [26 Apr 2006]

Complementary Medicine [27 Apr 2006]

Connecting for Health Computer System [26 Apr 2006]

Connecting for Health Computer System [27 Apr 2006]

Consultancy Fees [24 Apr 2006]

Consultants [25 Apr 2006]

Continuing Care Assessments [26 Apr 2006]

Contracts (Voluntary Sector) [27 Apr 2006]

Correspondence [27 Apr 2006]

BACK TO ALPHABETS

D

Dental Services [25 Apr 2006]

Dentistry [24 Apr 2006]

Dentistry [26 Apr 2006]

Dentistry [27 Apr 2006]

Departmental Expenditure [24 Apr 2006]

Departmental Officials (Hospital Visits) [25 Apr 2006]

Departmental Policies [24 Apr 2006]

Diabetes [24 Apr 2006]

Diabetes [25 Apr 2006]

Diabetes [26 Apr 2006]

Diet-drug Interactions [26 Apr 2006]

Disabled People [27 Apr 2006]

Domestic Violence [25 Apr 2006]

BACK TO ALPHABETS

E

Elderly Care Costs [27 Apr 2006]

Electricity Cables [25 Apr 2006]

Embryo Experimentation/Stem Cell Research [27 Apr 2006]

Emergency Admissions [25 Apr 2006]

Emergency Contraception [26 Apr 2006]

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F

Fibromyalgia [26 Apr 2006]

BACK TO ALPHABETS

G

General Practitioners [26 Apr 2006]

General Practitioners [27 Apr 2006]

Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria [26 Apr 2006]

Grievance Procedures [24 Apr 2006]

BACK TO ALPHABETS

H

Harassment Complaints [24 Apr 2006]

Health Care (Elderly People) [25 Apr 2006]

Health Professionals [27 Apr 2006]

Health Services (North Northamptonshire) [24 Apr 2006]

Health Trainers [25 Apr 2006]

Health Treatment Centres [24 Apr 2006]

Health Treatment Centres [25 Apr 2006]

Health White Paper [26 Apr 2006]

Hearing Aids [24 Apr 2006]

Herceptin [26 Apr 2006]

Home Treatment [25 Apr 2006]

Hospital Closures [27 Apr 2006]

Hospital Staff [27 Apr 2006]

Hospitals (Brokerage) [25 Apr 2006]

Hospitals (Tax Payments) [25 Apr 2006]

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I

Identity Fraud [25 Apr 2006]

Independent Treatment Centres [25 Apr 2006]

Infant Formula [24 Apr 2006]

Infant Pain [27 Apr 2006]

Influenza Pandemic [25 Apr 2006]

Information Sharing [25 Apr 2006]

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J

BACK TO ALPHABETS

K

BACK TO ALPHABETS

L

Lancashire Ambulance NHS Trust [25 Apr 2006]

Late Terminations [26 Apr 2006]

Local Improvement Finance Trusts [25 Apr 2006]

Local Improvement Finance Trusts [26 Apr 2006]

Local Improvement Finance Trusts [27 Apr 2006]

Long-term Sick Leave [25 Apr 2006]

Low Birth Weight Babies [27 Apr 2006]

Lung Cancer [26 Apr 2006]

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M

Major Trauma Centres [26 Apr 2006]

Malnutrition [24 Apr 2006]

Malnutrition [27 Apr 2006]

Mary Seacole Award [24 Apr 2006]

Maternal and Child Health [24 Apr 2006]

Medical Equipment [25 Apr 2006]

Medical Staff (Pay) [27 Apr 2006]

Medical Students (Jobs) [24 Apr 2006]

Medicine Reviews [26 Apr 2006]

Meningitis [26 Apr 2006]

Mental Health Services [27 Apr 2006]

Mental Health Services [27 Apr 2006]

Mini Motor Cycles (Protective Headgear) [25 Apr 2006]

Ministerial Visits [26 Apr 2006]

Mobile Telephones [25 Apr 2006]

MRSA [26 Apr 2006]

Multiple Sclerosis [24 Apr 2006]

Musculoskeletal Framework [26 Apr 2006]

BACK TO ALPHABETS

N

N3 National Network [25 Apr 2006]

Newham Hospital NHS Trust [27 Apr 2006]

NHS (Private Providers) [26 Apr 2006]

NHS and Mental Establishments (Visits) [24 Apr 2006]

NHS Appointments [26 Apr 2006]

NHS Beds [25 Apr 2006]

NHS Contracts [27 Apr 2006]

NHS Direct [24 Apr 2006]

NHS Direct [25 Apr 2006]

NHS Expenditure [24 Apr 2006]

NHS Finance (Hospitals) [24 Apr 2006]

NHS Finance [27 Apr 2006]

NHS Litigation Authority [25 Apr 2006]

NHS Pension Scheme [25 Apr 2006]

NHS Practice Schemes [27 Apr 2006]

NHS Redress Scheme [24 Apr 2006]

NHS Surgeries (Private Companies) [25 Apr 2006]

NHS Tariff [26 Apr 2006]

NHS Trust Deficits [25 Apr 2006]

NHS Trust Deficits [27 Apr 2006]

NHS Trusts [26 Apr 2006]

Non-slip Floors [27 Apr 2006]

Nursing Home Care [25 Apr 2006]

Nursing Training [24 Apr 2006]

BACK TO ALPHABETS

O

Organ Harvesting (China) [25 Apr 2006]

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P

Patient Care and Support [25 Apr 2006]

Patient Costs (Reimbursement) [26 Apr 2006]

Patient Transfers [24 Apr 2006]

Payment-by-results [24 Apr 2006]

Pension Provision [24 Apr 2006]

Population Increases [25 Apr 2006]

Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board [24 Apr 2006]

Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board [25 Apr 2006]

Practice-based Commissioning [25 Apr 2006]

Preventive Technology Grant [25 Apr 2006]

Primary Care Trusts (Non-local Services) [26 Apr 2006]

Primary Care Trusts [25 Apr 2006]

Prostate Cancer [24 Apr 2006]

Public Appointments [26 Apr 2006]

Public Information [25 Apr 2006]

BACK TO ALPHABETS

Q

BACK TO ALPHABETS

R

Radiotherapy [24 Apr 2006]

Radiotherapy [25 Apr 2006]

BACK TO ALPHABETS

S

Salt Intake [24 Apr 2006]

School Nurses [26 Apr 2006]

Section 64 Funding [24 Apr 2006]

Sexual Assault [25 Apr 2006]

Social Exclusion [24 Apr 2006]

Staff Abuse [25 Apr 2006]

Still-births [25 Apr 2006]

Stillbirths [26 Apr 2006]

Sunsmart Campaign [26 Apr 2006]

Suppliers (Bill Payments) [24 Apr 2006]

BACK TO ALPHABETS

T

Tanning Salons [26 Apr 2006]

Tariffs [24 Apr 2006]

Tariffs [25 Apr 2006]

Television Sets [26 Apr 2006]

Temporary/Agency Staff [24 Apr 2006]

Total Purchasing Pilots [27 Apr 2006]

Tuberculosis [26 Apr 2006]

BACK TO ALPHABETS

U

BACK TO ALPHABETS

V

Vaccinations (Schools) [25 Apr 2006]

BACK TO ALPHABETS

W

Waiting Lists/Times [25 Apr 2006]

Waiting Times [27 Apr 2006]

Wider Partnerships Initiative [24 Apr 2006]

Winter Report [26 Apr 2006]

Worcestershire Royal Hospital [24 Apr 2006]

Working Time Directive [27 Apr 2006]

World Cup (Complimentary Tickets) [26 Apr 2006]

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X

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Y

York Hospital [24 Apr 2006]

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Z

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The Committee Corridor

Health Select Committee

Wednesday 26^th April

Independent Sector Treatment Centres

The Committee has now finalised taking oral evidence as part of its inquiry into ISTCs. To view the uncorrected transcript of Oral Evidence given by: Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP, Secretary of State for Health, Sir Ian Carruthers OBE, Acting Chief Executive of the NHS, Mr Hugh Taylor CB, Acting Permanent Secretary and Dr Bill Kirkup, Acting Deputy Chief Medical Officer, click here.

Thursday 27^th April

New Inquiry: NHS Deficits

The Committee has announced it will be carrying out an inquiry into NHS Deficits. The deadline for written submissions is Tuesday 6 June. Details of the oral evidence sessions will be announced as soon as possible. Click here to view the terms of reference of the inquiry.

Science and Technology Select Committee

Wednesday 26^th April

Scientific Advice, Risk and Evidence: How Government Handles Them

The Committee held its fourth evidence session in this inquiry. Evidence was heard from: Professor Colin Blakemore, Chief Executive, Medical Research Council and Professor of Physiology, University of Oxford; Professor John Strang, Professor in Addiction Research and Director of the National Addiction Centre; Mr Andy Hayman, Chair, Association of Chief Police Officers Drugs Committee; Mr Steve Rolles, Information Officer, Transform Drug Policy Foundation; Mr Martin Barnes, Chief Executive, Drugscope; and Mrs Lesley King-Lewis, Chief Executive, Action on Addiction. Click here to visit the committee home page.

Friday 28^th April

Abortion Inquiry Rejected by Government

The government has refused to hold a parliamentary inquiry into late terminations and the abortion time limit, according to media reports. Science and technology select committee chair Phil Willis had asked for an ad hoc committee of MPs and Lords to be set up to examine the science underlying abortion, but the request was rejected by Commons leader Geoff Hoon.

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Early Day Motions