§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into the general practitioner service needs of elderly people. [53329]
§ Jacqui SmithThe Department funds research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in health and social care.
The Department's policy research programme is funding three relevant projects. These are:
an evaluation of inequalities in influenza vaccination coverage in the elderly;a prospective study of health inequalities and informal care; anda randomised controlled trial to evaluate the health effects of welfare advice in primary health care.The Department's policy research programme is also co-funding the Medical Research Council's study of assessment and management of elderly people in the community.
The Department's health technology assessment programme is funding four relevant projects. These are:
630Wthe community provision of hearing aids—a systematic review of the evidence;the use of laxatives in the elderly;the effectiveness of health visitor domiciliary visiting—a systematic review of the literature; and,an economic evaluation of a primary care based patient education programme for osteoarthritis of the knee.In addition, the Department allocates funds to the national health service to support research commissioned by the research councils and charities. Management of the research supported by NHS research and development funding is devolved. This research activity is reported to the National Research Register, which may be consulted at www.doh.gov.uk/research/nrr.htm.