Arthritis (Hansard, 8 September 2003)

§ Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts have not yet implemented in full the NICE guidance on anti-TNF therapies for rheumatoid arthritis. [128228]

§ Dr. Ladyman
Information on the number of primary care trusts (PCTs) making anti-TNF therapy available to patients is not collected centrally. Funding to meet the recommendations of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has been included in the allocations made to PCTs over the period 2003–04 to 2005–06.

§ Tim Loughton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients within the Adur, Arun and Worthing PCT area have been prescribed anti-TNF treatment for severe arthritis in the last 12 months. [127561]

§ Ms Rosie Winterton
Information is not held centrally on the number of patients who have been prescribed anti-TNF drugs (Etanercept and Infliximab). Information is available on the number of prescription items of drugs that are dispensed in the community in England. The use of anti-TNF drugs in the community is negligible, but they are used extensively in hospitals. Although negligible, details of these anti-TNF drugs (contained in the British National Formulary paragraph 10.1.3) are included in the Prescription Cost Analysis publication, which can be accessed at http//www.doh.gov.uk/prescriptionstatistics/index.htm.
Information is not held centrally about drugs prescribed and dispensed in hospitals.

§ Tim Loughton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many severe arthritis sufferers there are within the Adur, Arun and Worthing primary care trust area. [127562]

§ Ms Rosie Winterton
Information on the incidence of individual conditions is not collected centrally.

§ Chris Grayling
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts have made TN Fa available to arthritis sufferers in 2002–03; and if he will list them. [127697]

§ Dr. Ladyman
Information on the number of primary care trusts making anti-TNF therapy available to patients in 2002–03 is not collected centrally.

§ Chris Grayling
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been made available to primary care trusts to implement the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines on TNFa therapy. [127698]

§ Dr. Ladyman
Funding to meet recommendations of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has been included in the allocations made to primary care trusts for the period 2003–04 to 2005–06.