§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of meningitis have been diagnosed in(a) under 18's and (b) over 18's in each of the last five years for which figures are available in (i) Suffolk, (ii) Norfolk, (iii) Essex, (iv) England and (v) the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. FreemanInformation is not available in the form requested. However, the available information on meningitis notifications is set out in the table.
Notifications of all forms of meningitis 1984 to 1988 East Anglia regional health authority North East Thames regional health authority England, Wales and Scotland 1984 Up to 14 years 27 39 884 Up to 24 years 32 60 1,082 25+ years 6 27 260 1985 Up to 14 years 36 35 1,030 Up to 24 years 43 54 1,293 25+ years 13 38 349 1986 Up to 14 years 32 61 1,600 Up to 24 years 39 77 1,941 25+ years 8 21 384 1987 Up to 14 years 36 80 1,827 Up to 24 years 46 109 2,192 25+ years 10 45 470 1988 Up to 14 years 42 85 1,976 Up to 24 years 52 114 2,432 25+ years 13 41 656
Northern Ireland ( Information is not centrally collected by age groups) Year All ages 1984 182 1985 149 1986 162 1987 102 1988 1154 1 Provisional. Source: OPCS.
§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the notification and action procedure for all doctors in a health authority area once a case of meningitis has been diagnosed.
§ Mr. FreemanBy regulations made under section 13 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, doctors560W are obliged to notify cases of meningococcal meningitis or septicaemia to the Medical Officer for Environmental Health or proper officer. The Chief Medical Officer wrote to all regional medical officers on 2 February 1988 asking them to ensure that they had action plans to deal with meningitis (PL/CMO (88)1). He also wrote to all doctors on 3 February 1988 to pass on expert advice on the epidemiology, early management and prevention of the spread of meningococcal infection. A copy of the Gloucester health authority leaflet on meningitis was enclosed with the letter (PL/CMO (88)2).
§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice to parents his Department issues about meningitis(a) in general and (b) once a case has been confirmed.
§ Mr. FreemanIt is for health authorities to determine their own policy on issuing parents with advice about meningitis.
The Department recommends Gloucester health authority's "About Meningitis" leaflet and the Meningitis Trust's "Meningitis—the Facts". Both leaflets contain useful and clearly written information on meningitis and include a list of signs and symptoms of the disease. The Department values the work the Meningitis Trust does in promoting awareness of the disease, and the support it gives to sufferers' families.
§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department will take to curtail a suspected outbreak of meningitis in Suffolk and Essex.
§ Mr. FreemanThis is a matter for the local directors of public health who are taking action in accordance with guidance issued by the Department's Chief Medical Officer.