§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of running each of the high security infectious diseases units in each of the past five years. [56996]
§ Yvette CooperThe Department provided funding for the running costs of the high security infectious disease units at Coppett's Wood and Newcastle in the past five financial years as shown in the table:
£ Coppett's Wood Newcastle 1997–98 333,405 171,169 1998–99 366,543 170,000 1999–2000 340,000 185,000 2000–01 321,000 180,000 2001–02 321,000 180,000 Note:
The figures for 1999–2000 to 2001–2002 include an annual transfer of £47,000 from the Scottish Executive.
587W
§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many patients in each of the last five years were treated in the high security infectious disease units in(a) London and (b) Newcastle; [57001]
(2) for what diseases patients were admitted, and how many patients there were in each case, to each of the high security infectious disease units in each of the past five years; [57002]
(3) what the staffing levels were at each high security infectious diseases unit in each of the past five years. [56997]
§ Yvette CooperPatient admissions and diagnoses at the high security infectious disease units at Coppett's Wood (north London) and Newcastle from 1997 to 2001 are shown in the table:
Coppett's Wood Newcastle 1997 0 0 1998 0 0 1999 0 0 2000 11 21 2001 0 0 1 Lassa fever 2 Suspected Lassa fever, subsequently diagnosed as malaria These units exist as a contingency arrangement to provide secure and specialist clinical care for patients with or suspected of having rare, highly contagious and serious infectious diseases such as Ebola and Lassa fevers. Admissions are therefore infrequent.
Sufficient medical, nursing and laboratory staff, who are routinely involved in the treatment, care and diagnosis of patients with infectious diseases, are on call for the medium and high security infectious disease units. This ensures that they maintain equipment and participate in regular training exercises so that the units remain in a state of readiness to admit and care for patients securely.