§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of its research budget is allocated for research into traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. [48812]
§ Jacqui SmithThe main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its funding via the Department of Trade and Industry. The MRC supports a large amount of basic underpinning work on how the brain responds to injury of all types and on neural regeneration, which will inform research on rehabilitation after traumatic head injury. The MRC's expenditure specifically on rehabilitation after traumatic head injury (i.e. excluding the underpinning work) was £835,000 in 2001–02.
The Department commissions research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in health and social care. The Department has directly funded projects relating to brain and head injury, some of which are on rehabilitation, with total estimated expenditure of about £125,000 for 2001–02. The Department funded a major 1026W project on rehabilitation of brain injured adults, which was completed in 1997, at a total cost of approximately £1.2 million.
In addition to specific projects, the Department also provides support for research commissioned by charities and the MRC that takes place in the NHS. Management of much of the research supported in this way is devolved, and expenditure at project level is not held centrally.
Details of ongoing and recently completed research projects taking place in, funded by, or of interest to, the national health service are available on the National Research Register (NRR) at www.doh.gov.uk/research/nrr.htm. The NRR shows that there are considerable number of research related to brain and head injury.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for the publication of NICE guidelines on the handling of brain-injured patients; whether the guidelines will include long-term rehabilitation issues; and if he will make a statement. [48824]
§ Jacqui SmithThe National Institute for Clinical Excellence provisional publication date for their Head Injury Guideline is February 2003. I understand that the guideline will not address the rehabilitation or long term care of patients with a head injury, but the guideline will provide criteria for the early identification of patients who will benefit from rehabilitation.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if the proposed National Service Framework for long-term conditions will include those arising from head injury; and what interim action will be taken to improve rehabilitation services before publication of that framework. [48814]
§ Jacqui SmithMinisters will decide the scope of the National Service Framework (NSF) for long-term conditions shortly. The Government's response to the Health Select Committee third report, "Head Injury: Rehabilitation", states that the NSF is expected to set standards for the care and treatment of people with long-term conditions, including head injury. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is producing a clinical guideline for the initial assessment, management and first referral of patients with head injury, which is likely to inform the development of standards for the NSF.
In the meanwhile we will continue to work with the voluntary and professional organisations to identify and consider how to address shortfalls in rehabilitation services for people with head injury.