HC Deb 18 April 2002 vol 383 cc1172-88W
Dr. Murrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the extra training of existing staff as identified in the Cancer Plan. [45769]

Yvette Cooper

Good progress is being made in extra training of NHS staff to help them extend their skills and offer increased support to people with cancer. A number of new initiatives are underway to develop existing NHS roles and to increase the number of training places available so that we meet the NHS Cancer Plan targets to increase the number of cancer specialists. New ways of working pilot projects have been set up in four breast screening centres and nine radiotherapy centres. These are testing and developing new ways to make the best use of the skills and abilities of staff. We are also developing a nationally accredited educational and training programme for cytology-screening.

£6 million has been made available over the next three years to support over 10,000 nurses in primary care (one in four of all district nurses) to take part in new training and support in the general principles and practice of palliative care. The training programme will help district and community nurses to support people with cancer in remaining at home for as long as possible during their illness. £2.5 million has also been made available to train additional staff in endoscopy procedures. We will also be introducing new joint training across professions in communication skills.

Dr. Murrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in the five-a-day programme under the Cancer Plan. [45771]

Yvette Cooper

Progress has been as follows:

The National School Fruit Scheme——the first pilots were launched in November 2000 covering 33 schools, the spring pilots were subsequently launched in February 2001, and covered 500 schools across the country. £42 million from the New Opportunities Fund will fund the expansion of the scheme from this month, when another 1,899 schools, within the west Midlands region will be included in the scheme, and thereafter on a termly basis further regions will come on board.

Five-a-day community initiatives— following the successful evaluation of the five-a-day pilot sites, a further £10 million has been provided from the New Opportunities Fund, to support more five-a-day community initiatives. The funds have been allocated to 66 areas, based on deprivation and need.

These schemes are being reinforced by the other measures set out in the NHS Plan and Cancer Plan, including involvement of the food industry and other Government Departments, a communications programme, to increase awareness to the health benefits, and a means of monitoring the impact on the targeted population.

Dr. Murrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in recruiting the extra(a) cancer specialists, (b) nurses and (c) radiographers identified in the Cancer Plan. [45777]

Yvette Cooper

The table shows good progress in increasing the number of doctors and radiographers working in cancer services. This increase means the national health service is on track to hit the target set out in the Cancer Plan of nearly 1,000 extra cancer consultants by 2006. Separate figures are not available for cancer nurses, but the Department's Census shows that since the launch of the NHS Plan in September 1999 until September 2001 there was a net increase in nurses working in the NHS of 20,740. This increase will enable the recruitment of additional cancer-site specific nurse specialists, chemotherapy nurses, palliative care nurse specialists and additional nurses on cancer wards.

NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): Nursing, Midwifery & Health Visiting staff and Scientific, Therapeutic & Technical staff employed in the specified areas of work in England as at 30 September each year.

NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (NCHS): nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff and scientific, therapeutic and technical staff employed in the specified areas of work in England as at 30 September each year
1999 2001
Consultants
All cancer specialities 3,360 3,720
Histopathology 840 920
Clinical Radiology 1,510 1,640
Clinical Oncology 300 330
Medical Oncology 110 150
Haematology 510 560
Palliative Care 90 120
Registrar Group
All cancer specialities 1,400 1,670
Histopathology 200 270
Clinical Radiology 600 730
Clinical Oncology 170 220
Medical Oncology 140 140
Haematology 240 230
Palliative Care 50 80
Radiography 13,860 14,690
of which:
Diagnostic 12,300 13,040
Therapeutic 1,560 1,660

Notes:

Figures are rounded to the nearest ten

Due to rounding totals may not equal the sum of component parts Figures exclude learners and agency staff

As in the NHS Cancer Plan, the figures for "all cancer specialities" covers the six specialities listed in the table.

Source:

Department of Health non-medical workforce census

Department of Health medical and dental workforce census

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