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Week
of 4th January 2005 Contents
Major
Developments |
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Major Developments (13th Dec – 4th Jan)
Health Select Committee announces Public
Health White Paper Enquiry
The
Committee has decided to undertake a short inquiry into the Government’s
Public Health White Paper, looking in particular at: ·
Whether the proposals will enable the Government to
achieve its public health goals; ·
whether the proposals are appropriate, will be effective
and whether they represent value for money; ·
and whether the necessary public health infrastructure
and mechanisms exist to ensure that proposals will be implemented and goals
achieved. The
Committee will hold an oral evidence session in the second half of February
with John Reid. The committee requests that organisations and individuals
wishing to submit a short memorandum are invited to do so no later than
Tuesday 1 February 2005. APHG Public Health Seminar – Smoking (Wednesday, 12th
January) APHG’s
series public health continues to look at key elements of the White Paper
this month with a breakfast seminar dedicated to the issue of smoking. Nick Adkin, Paul Hooper, Sir Derek Wanless
and Lord Faulkner of Worcester will be discussing the White Paper in context,
followed by an in-depth open discussion. Please
see APHG and Website below for meeting details Foundation hospitals Health
Minister John Hutton yesterday announced the next wave of NHS Foundation
Trusts following approval from Monitor, the independent regulator. The
successful Trusts are Barnsley District General Hospitals, Chesterfield and
North Derbyshire Royal Hospitals, Gateshead Health, Harrogate Healthcare and
South Tyneside Healthcare NHS Trust. Monitor has deferred
consideration of the applications from two Trusts - Southend Hospital NHS
Trust and West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust. Further decisions on both
Trusts may be made at a later date by Monitor. APHG are due to
host a breakfast briefing with Bill Moyes, Chairman of Monitor in the near
future. Details to be confirmed shortly. Parliament returns Parliament’s
Christmas recess ends next week. This sitting will last from Monday 10th
January until Thursday 10th February when the House rises for
constituency week. New Member of Staff APHG
is delighted to welcome new member of staff Lucy Cork, who joins the team as
Project Coordinator and will work alongside Chris Pickard, Group Manager. The Week Ahead (10th January – 14th January)
Parliament
returns on Monday 10th January Monday 10th January House
of Lords Legislation – Second reading of Mental Capacity Bill Tuesday 11th January Westminster
Hall – Adrian Flook on GP services on Exmoor Wednesday 12th APHG
Public Health Smoking meeting Westminster
Hall – Damien Green on NHS Dentistry Thursday 13th Health
Committee Evidence Session – Influence of Pharmaceutical Industry Tuesday 18th January Health
Questions This Past Week (13th Dec – 4th Jan)
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) ____________________________________________________ HOUSE OF COMMONS
Parliamentary Health Questions – Answered
in the Chamber
Accident and Emergency [7 Dec 2004] Hormone Replacement Therapy [7 Dec 2004] Hospitals (Nottingham) [7 Dec 2004] Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust [7 Dec 2004]
Questions to the
Prime Minister (8th December, 15th December)
(8th December) Dr. Howard Stoate (Dartford)— health
investment in Dartford (15th December) Angela Watkinson (Upminster)— Mental Capacity Bill Mr. John McFall (Dumbarton) - Euthanasia by omission James Purnell (Stalybridge and Hyde) - Shipman Report Judy Mallaber (Amber Valley) - Heanor Memorial Hospital Audit Dr. Richard Taylor (Wyre Forest) – Mental
Capacity Bill Westminster Hall Debates
Health and Safety (Railways) [15 Dec 2004] Written
Ministerial Statements
Autumn Performance Report [14 Dec 2004] Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation
Trusts [16 Dec 2004] NHS Professionals (Accounts 2003–04) [16
Dec 2004] Chamber and Legislation
Adults Abused in Childhood [21 Dec 2004] Infant Death Syndrome [21 Dec 2004] Mental Capacity Bill [14 Dec 2004] Mental Capacity Bill (Programme) (No. 3)
[14 Dec 2004] Written Answers (A-Z by
subject) – Select a letter.
___________________________________________________________________ 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 A and E Departments [20 Dec 2004] Acute
Hospital Beds [13 Dec 2004] Acute Spinal Cord Injury [20 Dec 2004] Advertising Approval [8 Dec 2004] Age Discrimination [8 Dec 2004] Alcohol-related Illness [13 Dec 2004] Ambulance
Services (Gloucestershire) [13 Dec 2004] Ashford Hospital (Middlesex) [8 Dec 2004] Atypical Anti-psychotic Drugs [13 Dec 2004]
Audiology Services [20 Dec 2004] Barnet Chase Farm Hospital Trust [13 Dec
2004] Bedfordshire Heartlands PCT [13 Dec 2004] Benjamin Road Day Centre [20 Dec 2004] Blind and Partially Sighted Persons [20 Dec
2004] Bradford Foundation Hospital Trust [20 Dec
2004] Breast Milk Banks [20 Dec 2004] C Cancer
(North-west) [15 Dec 2004] Care Homes (Cleanliness) [20 Dec 2004] Celebrating
Our Cultures [16 Dec 2004] Celebrating our Cultures [20 Dec 2004] Cheltenham
General Hospital [13 Dec 2004] Childhood
Anaemia [13 Dec 2004] Childhood
Spinal Deformity [13 Dec 2004] Cialis (Counterfeiting) [20 Dec 2004] Cialis
(Counterfeiting) [7 Dec 2004] Cognitive Behavioural Therapy [20 Dec 2004]
Commission
for Healthcare Improvement [15 Dec 2004] Commission for Patient and Public
Involvement [8 Dec 2004] Communication
Masts (Health Effects) [13 Dec 2004] Community Care Packages [8 Dec 2004] Community-based Health Professionals [8 Dec
2004] Complementary Medicine [14 Dec 2004] Cosmetic
Surgery [15 Dec 2004] Coventry Primary Care Trust [20 Dec 2004] Criminal
Records Bureau Checks [15 Dec 2004] Delayed
Discharges [13 Dec 2004] Dental
Practice Board [16 Dec 2004] Dental Practice Board [20 Dec 2004] Department of Health, Social Services and
Public Safety [8 Dec 2004] Departmental
Advertising [16 Dec 2004] Departmental
Costs [13 Dec 2004] Departmental
Costs [14 Dec 2004] Departmental
Costs [16 Dec 2004] Departmental Costs [20 Dec 2004] Departmental Costs [7 Dec 2004] Departmental
Costs [9 Dec 2004] Departmental Mobile Phones [7 Dec 2004] Dermatology
Treatment [13 Dec 2004] Digital
Hearing Aids [13 Dec 2004] Digital Hearing Aids [8 Dec 2004] Disabled Children [8 Dec 2004] Doctors
Surgeries [16 Dec 2004] Doctors Surgeries [20 Dec 2004] Doncaster
and Bassetlaw Hospital [7 Dec 2004] Draft Mental Health Bill [14 Dec 2004] Electronic Clinical Records [20 Dec 2004] Emergency Services [8 Dec 2004] Employers' Liability Claims [8 Dec 2004] Employment
Advisers [13 Dec 2004] Employment
Terms and Conditions [13 Dec 2004] Employment Terms and Conditions [20 Dec
2004] Expenditure
(Leeds) [9 Dec 2004] Expert
Patients Programme [13 Dec 2004] Food
Supplements [13 Dec 2004] Food
Supplements Industry [15 Dec 2004] Foundation
Hospitals [13 Dec 2004] Foundation Hospitals [20 Dec 2004] General Medical Council (Complaints) [8 Dec
2004] General Medical Services [21 Dec 2004] General
Practitioners [15 Dec 2004] General Practitioners [8 Dec 2004] General Practitioners [9 Dec 2004] General
Social Care Council [13 Dec 2004] Generic
Prescribing [16 Dec 2004] Genito-Urinary Medicine [13 Dec 2004] Genito-Urinary
Medicine [21 Dec 2004] GP Lists (Wandsworth) [9 Dec 2004] Greater Manchester Surgical Unit [7 Dec
2004] Greater
Manchester Surgical Unit, Trafford [13 Dec 2004] Group B Streptococcus [14 Dec 2004] Health and Personal Social Services [8 Dec
2004] Health and Safety [13 Dec 2004] Health and Safety [7 Dec 2004] Health and Social Services [8 Dec 2004] Health
Expenditure [13 Dec 2004] Health Expenditure [8 Dec 2004] Health
Funding (North-west) [16 Dec 2004] Health Professions Council [8 Dec 2004] Health Service Agency Staff [8 Dec 2004] Health
Services (Lewisham, Deptford) [16 Dec 2004] Health
White Paper [13 Dec 2004] Health White Paper [7 Dec 2004] Health White Paper [9 Dec 2004] Home Help Services [8 Dec 2004] Hospital Audiology Departments [9 Dec 2004]
Hospital
Cleaning Audit [15 Dec 2004] Hospital
Cleaning Audit [16 Dec 2004] Hospital
Consultants [21 Dec 2004] Hospital
Infections [13 Dec 2004] Hospital
Infections [16 Dec 2004] Hospital Infections [7 Dec 2004] Hospital
Trusts (Star Rating) [15 Dec 2004] Hospital-acquired Infection [8 Dec 2004] Hospitals (Manchester) [20 Dec 2004] Human
Rights Act [16 Dec 2004] Independent
Treatment Centres [13 Dec 2004] Influenza
Vaccinations [13 Dec 2004] Irradiation Treatment [20 Dec 2004] Islington
Health Spending [9 Dec 2004] IT
Systems (GP Practices) [16 Dec 2004] Junior Doctors (Working Time Directive) [8
Dec 2004] Laryngectomy Patients [7 Dec 2004] LIFT
Programme (Newcastle) [16 Dec 2004] Local
Authorities/Primary CareTrusts [16 Dec 2004] Locum
Doctors (North Yorkshire) [13 Dec 2004] Long-term
Care (Coventry) [16 Dec 2004] Long-Term Care (Greater London) [14 Dec 2004]
Looked-after Children [8 Dec 2004] Medical
Imaging Records [16 Dec 2004] Medicines
(Packaging) [9 Dec 2004] Medicines
and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency [9 Dec 2004] Mental
Health Services (Harrow) [9 Dec 2004] Mental Health Services [8 Dec 2004] Mental Illness (Smoking Cessation) [7 Dec
2004] Milk
Token Scheme [13 Dec 2004] Ministerial
Meetings [16 Dec 2004] MS Decision Maker Website [20 Dec 2004] Multiple Sclerosis [8 Dec 2004] Musculoskeletal
Diseases [9 Dec 2004] Myasthenia Gravis [9 Dec 2004] National Director for Mental Health [14 Dec
2004] National
Programme for IT [13 Dec 2004] National
Programme for IT [15 Dec 2004] Necrotising Fasciitis [8 Dec 2004] Neo-natal
Hearing Screening [16 Dec 2004] Newborn Hearing Screening [9 Dec 2004] NHS (Patient Checks) [8 Dec 2004] NHS
Cleaning Services [20 Dec 2004] NHS Digital Hearing Aids [20 Dec 2004] NHS Laundry Services [8 Dec 2004] NHS
Plus Initiative [20 Dec 2004] NHS Plus Services [7 Dec 2004] NHS Professionals [14 Dec 2004] NHS
Professionals [15 Dec 2004] NHS Staff (Pharmaceutical Company Funding)
[14 Dec 2004] NHS
Staff (Pharmaceutical Company Funding) [15 Dec 2004] NHS Staff Profile [14 Dec 2004] NHS
Trusts (Budgets) [20 Dec 2004] NHS Walk-in Centres [8 Dec 2004] Nursing
Bursaries [13 Dec 2004] Occupational
Health [20 Dec 2004] Operating Theatres [13 Dec 2004] Out-of-hours
Care [15 Dec 2004] Parliamentary
Questions [16 Dec 2004] Parliamentary
Questions [20 Dec 2004] Patient
Counselling/Education [13 Dec 2004] Patient Education [14 Dec 2004] Pregnancy
Advisory Service [13 Dec 2004] Primary
Care Trusts (Compulsory Purchase) [20 Dec 2004] Priorities for Action [8 Dec 2004] Priority Treatment (Ex-service Personnel)
[8 Dec 2004] Private
Finance Initiative [15 Dec 2004] Programme
Budget Project Group [13 Dec 2004] Psychiatric Wards (Young People) [9 Dec
2004] Rare Diseases (Funding) [14 Dec 2004] Regional Adolescent Psychiatry Services [13
Dec 2004] Regional Adolescent Psychiatry Services [8
Dec 2004] Regional Public Health [14 Dec 2004] Royal
Free Hospital [13 Dec 2004] School
Fruit and Vegetable Scheme [13 Dec 2004] School Nurse Service [14 Dec 2004] Sexual Health Clinics [9 Dec 2004] Skills for Health [14 Dec 2004] Special
Advisers [16 Dec 2004] Special
Needs Assistants [21 Dec 2004] Sperrin Lakeland Health and Social Services
Trust [21 Dec 2004] St. George's Hospital (Walk-in Centre) [14
Dec 2004] Surgical
Urology [20 Dec 2004] Temporary
Accommodation [20 Dec 2004] Temporary
Medical Staff [16 Dec 2004] Third-world
Health [16 Dec 2004] Toxin Pollution (River Strule) [8 Dec 2004]
Treatment Funding [16 Dec 2004] Tuberculosis/Hepatitis
[14 Dec 2004] U Vaccine
Stockpiles [20 Dec 2004] Video
Conferencing Units [9 Dec 2004] Waiting Lists/Times [14 Dec 2004] Wandsworth Primary Care Trust [13 Dec 2004]
Ward Housekeepers [20 Dec 2004] Water Fluoridation [15 Dec 2004] Working Time Directive (Junior Doctors) [13
Dec 2004] The Committee Corridor
Health Committee
21
December 2004 The Government's Public Health White Paper
New Inquiry - Terms of Reference 16
December 2004 The Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry 9
December 2004 Venous Thromboerabolism 8
December 2004 Public Expenditure 2004 7
December 2004 The Use of New Medical Technologies within
the NHS
New Inquiry - Terms of Reference Mental Health Joint Committee
21 December 2004 Draft Mental Health Bill Oral
evidence in January & February 2005
______________________________________________
Lords Chamber – Debates, Legislation and
Ministerial Statements 21st
December 2004
Infant Death Cases: Attorney-General's
Review
20th December 2004 Employment, Social Policy, Health and
Consumer Affairs Council
16th December 2004 NHS Dental Contract
NHS Professionals
Obesity
Monitor: Independent Regulator of NHS
Foundation Trusts
15th
December 2004 Mental Capacity Bill (First reading)
14th
December 2004
Department of Health:Autumn Performance
Report
21st December 2004 Fluoridated Water
Acoustic Neuromas
Mental Health Act 1983: Section 117
20th
December 2004 Acoustic Neuromas
Alcohol: Under-age Drinking
Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy
Smoking: Public Opinion
Food Supplements
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
MMR: Department of Health Website
Ealing: Vulnerable Children and Adults
Diabetes: Patient Education and Screening
HIV: Testing of Immigrants by Overseas
Countries
16th
December 2004 Palace of Westminster: Health Screening
15th December 2004 NHS: Parental Visits
14th December 2004 Healthcare Commission
Department of Health and National Health Service
Key issues from the Department of Health
and NHS
Tuesday 4 January 2005 More trusts receive
foundation status Health
Minister John Hutton today welcomed the next wave of NHS Foundation Trusts
following approval from Monitor, the independent regulator. The
successful Trusts are Barnsley District General Hospitals, Chesterfield and
North Derbyshire Royal Hospitals, Gateshead Health, Harrogate Healthcare and
South Tyneside Healthcare NHS Trust. Monitor
has deferred consideration of the applications from two Trusts - Southend
Hospital NHS Trust and West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust. Further
decisions on both Trusts may be made at a later date by Monitor. Tuesday 4 January 2005 Parents
reminded about signs and symptoms of meningitis Parents and health professionals were today
reminded by the Chief Medical Officer to look out for the signs and symptoms
of meningitis and septicaem as the number of cases tends to rise at this time
of year. Tuesday 4 January 2005 £2.5
Million for gene therapy research into cystic fibrosis Health Minister, Lord Warner today
announced the winning bids for £2.5 million to support further research into
gene therapy for cystic fibrosis. The funding commitment was made in the
Genetics White Paper, ‘Our Inheritance, Our Future: Realising the potential
of genetics in the NHS’ and will help to ensure that those with cystic fibrosis
benefit as soon as possible from the latest advances in genetic knowledge and
technologies. Thursday 30 December 2004 NHS
to receive £3 million for training to tackle obesity Healthcare professionals throughout England
will receive help in the fight to tackle obesity thanks to £3 million of
extra government funding, Public Health Minister Melanie Johnson announced
today. Independent Regulators The
Healthcare Commission and Monitor are independent bodies responsible to
Parliament for regulating different elements of health care provision. See
below for details of the key issues from both: Key issues from the Healthcare Commission
The Healthcare Commission's latest press
releases: 22 December 2004: Independent report on mental health services in
East Sussex 17 December 2004: The Healthcare Commission publishes NHS
performance indicators 2004/2005 Key
issues from Monitor
Monitor
authorises five new NHS Foundation Trusts Monitor has announced that five more NHS
Trusts have been authorised as NHS Foundation Trusts. As of 1st January 2005 the five
new NHS Foundation Trusts are
Barnsley Hospital, Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Gateshead Health, Harrogate
and District and South Tyneside, bringing the total to 25. However Southend
and West Suffolk Hospitals have been deferred, while Nottingham City and
Burton withdrew their applications with the intention f re-applying at a
later stage. APHG and Website
Forthcoming Meetings
WHITE PAPER SEMINAR SERIES SMOKING: Wednesday 12th
January 2005 8:15 – 10:00am, House of Commons Dining Room A Speakers: Nick Adkin, Head of Tobacco Policy, Department of Health;
Derek Wanless, Author of ‘Securing Good Health for the Whole Population’;
Paul Hooper, Tobacco Policy Manager, West Midlands Region; & Lord
Faulkner of Worcester, Parliamentary sponsor of ‘Smoke-Free Liverpool’ Bill Chaired by Dr Howard Stoate MP Smoking
has emerged as one of the most controversial topics of the Public Health
White Paper, ‘Choosing Health’. A great deal of public and political
attention has focussed on the ‘smoke free’ debate, the proposals for a
partial ban on smoking in public places, and subsequent announcements of
private legislation that will allow for full bans to be implemented in
Liverpool and London. The measures of the White Paper that relate to the
wider issues of smoking and smoking cessation have received less coverage,
but are of no less importance. As
part of a seminar series looking at the key areas of ‘Choosing Health’, the
meeting looks at smoking and the Public Health White Paper. The aim of the
meeting is to create a constructive dialogue between Parliamentarians, the
Department of Health Public Health Team and other stakeholders in the issue.
Presentations will be kept to a minimum, with the intention of creating a
forum for MPs and Peers to discuss the issues with experts in the area and
feed directly into the White Paper’s proposals for smoking and tobacco
policy. Other meetings in series: OBESITY: Wednesday 9th
February 2005 ‘MARKETING HEALTH LOCALLY’:
Tuesday 22nd February 2005 Dr Fiona Adshead, Deputy
Chief Medical Officer; Derek Wanless, author of ‘Securing Good Health for the
Whole Population’; Dr Ian Campbell, National Obesity Forum; Dr Howard Stoate
MP; Tim Kelsey, CEO Dr Foster; NHS Directors of Public Health and others. The emphasis of this programme is upon
creating a constructive dialogue between Parliamentarians, key stakeholders,
the Department of Health, and local primary care and NHS trusts and agencies
that will ultimately be responsible for delivering new public health policy. By bringing together Members of Parliament
and Peers to discuss the White Paper in this way, the all-party parliamentary
health group hopes to make a positive contribution to the development and
delivery of improved public health in the UK. Website Links
To
access our own site, containing information on past and present meetings and
access to constituency health data, click here. Useful Links
The
National Health Service Website.
Contains details of local NHS services and information on how the NHS
works. The
Healthcare Commission’s website. Includes information on their role, plus
details of reports & investigations that they have carried out. Information
and links on health issues, including self-help and in depth information on
various topics such as breast cancer, depression and diabetes. Source
of information on UK health services, including NHS and Private Healthcare
available by area, and comparisons across the UK. Monitor-Independent
Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts
Monitor’s website includes information
on its role, the makeup of its Board and Management Team, the Public Register
of NHS Foundation Trusts and its latest press releases. |
