Answers issued to Members on 9 August 2007
[R] signifies that the Member has declared an interest.[W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh. Contents
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
Helen Mary Jones: Will the Minister detail how hospital treatments provided for Welsh patients in settings outside of Wales are costed? WAQ50266)
The Minister for Health and Social Services (Edwina Hart): Charges for hospital treatments provided for Welsh patients in settings outside Wales are agreed between the two NHS organisations involved—the Welsh contractor and the English provider. Costs are not based on the national tariff that the Department of Health operates in England, but are negotiated between the two parties.
Helen Mary Jones: Will the Minister detail the number of children receiving mental health treatments in adult hospital settings, and what targets have been set to ensure that all children receive hospital mental health services in non-adult wards? (WAQ50267)
Edwina Hart: There is no centrally gathered data on the number of children who are admitted to adult wards with a primary diagnosis of mental health, and there are currently no targets to ensure that all children receive hospital mental health services in non-adult wards.
Helen Mary Jones: Will the Minister detail the capital charges paid annually from the phase 1 of the children’s hospital, and estimated capital charge cost of the phase 2 project? (WAQ50268)
Edwina Hart: Capital charges associated with phase 1 of the children’s hospital are £0.237 million for the current financial year. The business case for phase 2 remains in the early stages of development. Capital changes estimates are still in the formative stage and have yet to be determined, but will depend upon the scale of the new development.
Andrew RT Davies: What plans does the Minister have to secure funding for the completion of the children’s hospital for Wales? (WAQ50269)
Edwina Hart: When the full business case is approved, the capital costs of the building will be met from my NHS capital funding allocation. Additionally, capital charges associated with the very specialist services provided by the children’s hospital, commissioned by Health Commission Wales, have been secured at £2 million from my central capital charges budget. The remainder of the revenue required must be found by local health boards.Andrew RT Davies: What discussions has the Minister had regarding the completion of the children’s hospital for Wales? (WAQ50270)
Edwina Hart: I intend bringing all relevant LHBs and the trust together to broker a way forward in September.Bethan Jenkins: Will the Minister make a statement on the availability of cardiac rehabilitation services to patients? (WAQ50280)
Edwina Hart: These services need to be strengthened in Wales. The Assembly Government has funded a number of cardiac rehabilitation schemes across Wales through the inequalities in health fund. Initial evaluation of these schemes is encouraging. They will finish during the financial year and I will be urging LHBs to learn the lessons from them and to ensure that all areas of Wales have equal access.
The proposed standards for cardiac rehabilitation in the draft revised national service framework for coronary heart disease will underpin the need for such an expansion.
Bethan Jenkins: Has the Minister made, or is aware of, any assessment of the benefits providing cardiac rehabilitation services, and what plans does she have to extend provision? (WAQ50281)
Edwina Hart:
Existing schemes are being evaluated and results are encouraging. I shall be urging local health boards to learn the lessons from these schemes and to make sure that there is uniform provision across Wales.