§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to improve MMR vaccination rates since 1 January. [34878]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 11 February 2002]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
Last year, the Department worked with general practitioners and health professionals to give them the most up-to-date information on MMR, so that they could discuss the issues with parents with the help of full access to the facts.
Currently, the Department is working on ways to ensure parents can get answers to their questions including using NHS Direct and the internet, as well as through local health professionals.
A conference was held on Monday 25 February this year, where the latest issues and research were discussed with District Immunisation Co-ordinators, consultants in communicable disease control and representatives from the nursing profession; information packs were made available to all delegates who attended.
The Department will also be working with health authorities and primary care trusts, particularly in low uptake areas, to provide additional information to parents and to ensure all parents are given the opportunity to have their children immunised.
§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what incentives are payable to general practitioners for achieving MMR vaccination targets; and what the targets are. [35214]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 11 February 2002]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
Measles, mumps and rubella is one of the vaccinations which form part of the childhood immunisation programme. The others are diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, pertussis and haemophilius influenza type b (Hib). General practitioners who provide General Medical Services receive on average a payment of £2,730 per annum for reaching 90 per cent. coverage in childhood immunisations. The average payment for the lower target of 70 per cent. coverage is £910. Actual payments depend on list size. Similar arrangements apply to GPs who work under the arrangements for Personal Medical Services, though the actual payments under this system are agreed locally.