HC Deb 25 January 1994 vol 236 cc239-40W
12. Mr. Fishburn

To ask the Secretary of Slate for Health what proportion of children are now immunised against HIB meningitis.

Dr. Mawhinney

Immunisation against Haemophilus influenae type b was added to the routine childhood immunisation programme on 1 October 1992. Preliminary figures for England and Wales show that 90 per cent. acceptance for the full course of three doses of vaccine is already being achieved.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to resource the creation of rapid response units, nationally, to combat child meningitis fatalities.

Mr. Sackville

[holding answer 21 January 1994]: Children with meningitis are most appropriately treated in paediatric intensive care units. A report, "The Care of Critically Ill Children", by a working party convened by the British Paediatric Association has recently been published and copies are available in the Library. This includes recommendations on how a more accessible distribution of paediatric intensive care facilities can be achieved.

We are about to issue the report to purchasers of health services for children, with the request that they ensure any planned increases in paediatric intensive care facilities proceed and that they review immediately the current level of provison in order to develop a strategic plan for the purchasing of paediatric intensive care within the overall development of children's services. Regional health authorities will oversee this process and submit an interim report on action under way to the National Health Service Management Executive by April.