HC Deb 10 July 2003 vol 408 cc1002-3W
Mr. Cameron

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to support self-help groups for people with aphasia; [123392]

(2) what plans he has to increase funding for services used by people with dysphasia; [123397]

(3) what steps the Government have taken to support Connect centres for those suffering with dysphasia; and if he plans to extend them to (a) other parts of the country and (b) Oxfordshire. [123398]

Mr. Hutton

Primary care trusts (PCTs) now have the responsibility of improving the health of the community, securing the provision of high quality services and integrating health and social care locally. They have the resources to commission services and to identify the number of professional staff that they need to deliver those services.

In making their commissioning decisions, PCTs will need to consider how best to use a range of providers for the benefit of national health service patients. PCTs may fund local support groups for a range of conditions including aphasia and dysphasia, if they have identified this as a need when assessing the health needs of the local community. They will need also to consider how best to use voluntary sector providers.

"Connect" is a voluntary sector organisation, which is free to apply for Section 64 grant scheme funding at national or local level. The development of their centres is primarily a matter for them.

Mr. Cameron

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Department has to provide funding for computer-based therapy programmes for people with dysphasia. [123396]

Ambulance Service NHS trusts Mobile decontamination units PPE suits
Avon Ambulance Service 4 100
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Ambulance and Paramedic Service 4 100
Cumbria Ambulance Service 6 150
Dorset Ambulance Service 4 100
East Anglian Ambulance Service 8 200
East Midlands Ambulance Service 6 150
Essex Ambulance Service 4 100
Gloucestershire Ambulance Service 4 100
Greater Manchester Ambulance Service 6 150
Hampshire Ambulance Service 6 150
Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service 4 50
Isle of Wight Healthcare 4 100
Kent Ambulance Service 6 150
Lancashire Ambulance Service 6 150
Lincolnshire Ambulance Service 4 100
London Ambulance Service 14 350
Mersey Regional Ambulance Service 8 200
North East Ambulance Service 8 200
Oxfordshire Ambulance Service 4 100
Royal Berkshire Ambulance Service 4 100
South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service 4 100
Staffordshire Ambulance Service 0 0
Surrey Ambulance Service 6 150
Sussex Ambulance Service 4 100
Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service 6 150
Two Shires Ambulance Service 4 100
Warwickshire Ambulance Service 1 70
West Midlands Ambulance Service 3 75
West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service 4 100
West Country Ambulance Services 16 400
Wiltshire Ambulance Service 4 100
Total 166 4,145

Note:

Staffordshire Ambulance Service has not been issued with new PPE equipment, as it can operate effectively with adapted military techniques with its existing equipment.

The Department was informed of some early operational problems, which have been rectified.