HC Deb 23 March 1995 vol 257 cc349-50W
Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many renal patients currently on FP10 prescriptions will be transferred to the district health authority contract system as of 1 April. [15375]

Mr. Malone

This information is not available centrally.

Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what her Department estimates the change in the number of renal patients in England and Wales will be from 1994–95 to 1995–96. [15374]

(2) how many new renal patients per million of population she expects to undergo treatment in the National Health Service in the coming year. [15376]

Mr. Sackville

Both the total number of renal patients and the number of new renal patients per million population are expected to increase. Local purchasers and providers should take this into account in their planning. Specific information in the form requested is not available centrally.

Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what efforts her Department has made to ensure that general practitioners are aware of the forthcoming changes to the funding arrangements for the treatment of kidney patients. [15384]

Mr. Malone

All general practitioners and pharmacists have received a family practitioner notice giving guidance and instructions on the changes to the system for providing high tech health care for patients at home. More detailed instructions in the form of an executive letter, EL(95)5 copies of which are available in the Library, have been sent to regional, district and family health services authority General Managers, national health service trust chief executives and general practitioner fundholders. Both of these set out clearly what is expected of GPs in implementing these changes.

Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she now expects her Department to publish the renal review; and what factors led to the delay in publication. [15382]

Mr. Sackville

We are currently considering the practical implications of the report on the review of renal services. We intend to publish purchasing guidance based on the report once those implications are clear.

Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what efforts she is making to ensure that the new contracts between district health authorities and renal units are in place before 1 April. [15385]

Mr. Malone

Health authorities have been asked to ensure that new arrangements are in place by 1 April where continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis is currently being funded through general practitioner prescribing. This affects about half of CAPD patients. District health authorities have been asked to ensure as a priority that there is a continuity of care for these patients. In order to facilitate this they only have been authorised, if necessary, to contract with the supplier currently providing the services for 1995–96.

Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration has been made by her Department as to the effect of the new funding arrangements for renal units on the level of care provided for kidney patients at the Royal Victoria infirmary and the Freeman hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. [15377]

Mr. Sackville

This is a matter for Newcastle and north Tyneside health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mrs. S. Murray, chairman of the authority, for details.

Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for health how many renal units there are in England and Wales; and how many patients they treat(a) by region and (b) in total. [15381]

Mr. Sackville

In 1992, the latest year for which figures are held for England and Wales, 53 adult renal units in England, and eight in Wales treated a total of 18,768 patients. Regional details are as follows:

Regions Number
Northern and Yorkshire 1,944
Trent 1,814
Anglia and Oxford 1,910
North Thames 3,534
South Thames 1,927
South and West 2,239
West Midlands 1,350
North West 2,849
Wales 1,201
Total 18,768

Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the policy of her Department regarding rationing renal treatment and peritoneal dialysis on the basis of age. [15379]

Mr. Sackville

National health service treatment should be available to all on the basis of clinical need. It is for the clinician concerned to determine the appropriate treatment, which should not be denied on the ground of age alone, although age will be one of the factors which the clinician will take into account.

Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which groups were consulted by her Department during its renal review. [15383]

Mr. Sackville

All providers of renal services in England, all regional and district health authorities and a number of professional and patient interest groups were consulted on the renal review.