§ Martin LintonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the impact on the Battersea constituency of his Department's health policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [123709]
§ Mr. HuttonDetailed information on the impact of departmental policies nationally is set out in the Department of Health annual reports. A copy of the most recent report "Department of Health—Government Expenditure Plans 2003/2004" is available in the Library and on the Department's website.
The impact of policies is not examined by constituency and statistics collected centrally by the Department are not collected on a constituency basis.
464WMy hon. Friend's constituency falls within the geographical area covered by Wandsworth Primary Care Trust (PCT), St. George's Healthcare National Health Service Trust and the former Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Health Authority (HA).
Allocations to Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA Allocation Cash increase Real terms increase Period £000 £000 Percentage £000 Percentage 1997–98 309,318 10,104 3.38 4,039 1.35 1998–99 322,343 12,806 4.14 4,179 1.35 1999–2000' 422,995 25,270 6.35 14,953 3.76 2000–01 455,914 35,177 8.36 24,058 5.72 2001–02 498,646 42,445 9.30 30,283 6.64 2002–03 563,125 49,830 9.80 36,215 7.12 1 Figures for 1997–98 and 1998–99 are not comparable to the later figures, as these are for Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) only. Note:
From 1999–2000 allocations have included HCHS, QMS cash limited and prescribing components (2002–03 saw the addition of HIV/Aids and QMS non cash limited components).
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA and the NHS trusts within it have also received additional funding for certain policies. This includes:
£6.6 million for accident and emergency modernisation in 2000–01.Nationally, in 2000–01 recurrent investment of £50 million was available for the improvement of cancer services. For 2001–02, an additional £255 million is available nationally for cancer care. Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA has received £300,000 for the investment of cancer equipment. This has already been delivered and is now in use.£4.5 million, £453,000 and £406,000 to reduce waiting lists and times in 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01 respectively.£2.25 million to expand critical care services in 2000–01.£3.3 million and £2.9 million to deal with winter pressures in 1998–99 and 2000–01.£228,000 for heart disease services in 2000–01.£35,000 invested into dentistry in 2000–01.I am informed by South West London Strategic Health Authority that in 2002–03, the Wandsworth PCT's overall allocation included the following earmarked funding for certain policies (there has been no earmarked funding in 2003–04):
- £470,000 for mental health.
- £376,000 for coronary heart disease
- £477,000 for cancer.
- £348,000 for information management and technology.
- £523,000 for primary care.
- £2.7 million for capacity.
One of the public's principal concerns about the NHS has been waiting times. Waiting list information for St. George's is shown in the table.
Patients waiting for elective admission:St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust Month end Total waiting list Patients waiting over nine months Patients waiting over 12 months March 1997 7,185 777 311 May 2003 6,623 329 0 Source:
Department of Health form KH07.
465W
Waiting times for first consultant out patient appointment: St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust GP written referral >Patients seen Patients still waiting Quarter Total Percentage seen within 13 weeks More than 13 weeks More than 26 weeks Q4 1996–97 15.508 89 931 602 Q4 2002–03 12,599 72 757 5 Source:
Department of Health form QM08
Information regarding staffing within Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth has been placed in the Library.