§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the pilot of the "Forecasting the Nation's Health"; if he will list the trusts which participated in the pilot of the "Forecasting the Nation's Health"; and what plans he has to expand the pilots of the "Forecasting the Nation's Health" to further trusts. [133930]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonTo support national health service managers in anticipating circumstances of weather related high demand, the Met Office (in partnership with the Department of Health and NHS pilot sites) ran a weather forecast/health demand trial project, "Forecasting the Nation's Health", supported by Her Majesty's Treasury "Invest to Save" funding over the winters of 2001–02 and 2002–03. The aim was to provide NHS managers with advance warning of whether to expect increased or reduced emergency admissions and allow them to plan the use of resources more efficiently.
This work was without precedent internationally. The trial project has been completed and two external evaluations examined the reliability and value of such workload forecasting for the NHS. NHS users have been closely involved in the evaluation. The following trusts participated in the pilot: 595W
- Addenbrooke's
- Basildon and Thurrock General Hospitals NHS Trust
- South Durham Healthcare NHS Trust
- The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust
- Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull NHS Trust
- Central Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust
- City Hospital NHS Trust
- Ealing Hospital NHS Trust
- Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust
- Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust
- Mid-Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust
- North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust
- North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust
- Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust
- Oldham NHS Trust
- Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust
- Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust
- Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust
- Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust
- Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust
- Sheffield Teaching Hospital Trust
- South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust Stockport NHS Trust
- The Royal West Sussex NHS Trust
- The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust
- Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust
- United Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust
- University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
- Whipps Cross Hospital.
The Department of Health is currently assessing the evaluations with particular interest in the reliability, accuracy and usability of the forecasts in order to make an informed decision about the future direction of support for health demand forecasting systems.
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has made to the Chancellor for funds to be made available for the continuation of the piloting of the "Forecasting the Nation's Health". [133931]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonTo support national health service managers in anticipating circumstances of weather related high demand, the Met Office (in partnership with the Department of Health and NHS pilot sites) ran a weather forecast/health demand trial project, "Forecasting the Nation's Health", supported by Her Majesty's Treasury "Invest to Save" funding over the winters of 2001–02 and 2002–2003.
The Department of Health is currently assessing the independent evaluations of this project before making a decision as to the future direction, support and funding of demand forecasting systems in the NHS. Any decisions about levels and sources of funding will depend on the outcome of this assessment.