Departmental Policies

Health written question – answered at on 5 April 2005.

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Photo of Nigel Evans Nigel Evans Conservative, Ribble Valley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Ribble Valley and Fulwood constituency, the effects on the constituency of changes to his Department's policies since 1997.

Photo of Miss Melanie Johnson Miss Melanie Johnson Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Health

holding answer 15 March 2005

The Government have put in place a programme of national health service investment and reform since 1997 to improve service delivery in all parts of the United Kingdom. There is significant evidence that these policies have yielded considerable benefits for the Ribble Valley and Fulwood constituency.

For example:

At the end of December 2004, the total number of people waiting more than nine months for inpatient treatment within Hyndburn and Ribble Valley primary care trust (PCT) and Preston PCT has fallen to zero, from 412 in June 2002.

At the end of December 2004, the total number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for outpatient treatment within Hyndburn and Ribble Valley PCT and Preston PCT has fallen to 368, from 1,175 in June 2002.

In June 2003, at Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS trust, 92.5 per cent., of patients spent less than four hours in Accident and Emergency (A&E) from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge. Figures for September 2004 show an improvement to 97.6 per cent.

Between September 2002 and June 2004, the number of consultants at Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS trust has increased from 167 to 170. Between September 2002 and September 2003, the number of nurses has increased from 1,915 to 1,928.

Between September 2001 and June 2004, the number of general practitioners (GPs) within Hyndbum and Ribble Valley PCT and Preston PCT has increased from 152 to 165.

Figures for December 2004 show that all patients within Hyndbum and Ribble Valley PCT and Preston PCT are able to be offered an appointment with a GP within two working days and a primary care professional within one working day.

100 per cent, of urgent GP referrals to Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS trust, with suspected cancer, are seen by a specialist within two weeks of the referral.

In the Ribble Valley local authority area, the death rate from cancer per 100,000 population was 163 in 2003 compared to 197 in 1997. For Preston, the rate in 2003 was 181, compared to 190 in 1997.

In the Ribble Valley local authority area, the death rate from coronary heart disease per 100,000 population was 131 in 2003 compared to 164 in 1997. For Preston, the rate in 2003 was 142, compared to 176 in 1997.

A new multi-million pound flagship education centre has been opened at the Royal Preston hospital.

A new £700,000 dermatology and diabetes centre opened in April 2003 at Chorley and South Ribble hospital.

The latest phase of modernisation of Burnley General hospital will include 170 in-patient medical beds, an acute rehabilitation suite and a 15 station renal satellite dialysis unit.

The £110 million private finance initiative development project at Queens Park hospital in Blackburn is scheduled for completion in summer 2006. It involves the rationalisation of services from two sites on to one. The benefits of this include the provision of an integrated children's unit, as well as A&E and medical beds on the same site, thus eliminating patient transfers between the two sites.

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