Answers to the Written Assembly Questions for answer on 16 June 2010

[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 Rural Affairs

To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): When was McKinsey’s work on a report into the Welsh NHS completed. (WAQ56078)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): On what date did the McKinsey Report into the Welsh NHS become a working document in the Health and Social Services Department. (WAQ56079)

Answer issued on 15 June 2010

As I explained previously, there is no McKinsey Report. The work carried out by McKinsey is helping to inform the development of a 5-Year Service, Workforce and Financial Strategic Framework by the NHS in Wales.  The overall framework is a set of documents, processes and behaviours which will guide transformation and integration. These include the seven Health Board delivery plans which will continue to be developed and refined year on year with partners.

A summary of the evidence base which underpins the strategic direction has now been published on the HOWIS website and can be accessed at http://www.wales.nhs.uk/page.cfm?orgid=1&pid=7452.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on the protocols concerning patients’ confidential medical records. (WAQ56080)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Who is entitled to access to a patient’s confidential medical records without prior consent of the patient. (WAQ56081)

Answer issued on 22 June 2010

Access to patients’ confidential medical records is covered by the Data Protection Act.  There is also guidance in the Welsh Assembly Government Confidentiality: Code of Practice for Health and Social http://wales.gov.uk/docrepos/40382/4038212/403821/4038211/4038211/CodeofPractice?lang=en

Guidance on sharing or disclosing data is available through the Wales Accord on Sharing Personal Information (http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/Documents/702/WASPI%20Accord%20v2-00%20final.doc) and the Information Commissioner guidance on Use and Disclosure of Health Data (http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/data_protection/practical_application/health_data_-_use_and_disclosure001.pdf)

Access to records is covered in the code of practice and the Information Commissioner guidance.  Access may  be granted without consent when giving emergency care where the patient is not competent to give consent.

Otherwise, access should always be with consent.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on levels of investment in physiotherapy in Wales. (WAQ56083)

Answer issued on 22 June 2010

Investment in physiotherapy is a matter for local health boards.  Their investment is based on local needs and identified through their workforce plans.  The number of physiotherapy post in Wales is not routinely collected in this form.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide figures for the number of reported violent incidents against NHS staff members per year, since 2005. (WAQ56084)

Answer issued on 22 June 2010

Violent incidents are not only those occasions when physical harm is done; NHS Wales uses the following definition: 'Any incident where staff are abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances related to their work, involving an explicit or implicit challenge to their safety, wellbeing or health. This can incorporate some behaviours identified in harassment and bullying, for example, verbal violence'. Actions to address the recommendations of the Taskforce on Violence and Aggression have been underway since 2007.  A key component of this work is to encourage staff to report all incidents and the increase in 2009-10 is an expected consequence of this programme of work.  In this context, the data for violent incidents against staff in NHS Wales are:

1 Excludes data from the former Conwy& Denbighshire NHS Trust

2 Excludes Powys Local Health Board; partial data for the former NHS Trusts within Hywel Dda

  and Betsi Cadwaladr Health Boards

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide figures for the number of alcohol related deaths per year in Wales (by age group) since 2007. (WAQ56085)

Answer issued on 15 June 2010

The data of alcohol-related deaths can be found at the following Office for National Statistics web page:

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=14496

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide figures for the number of qualified physiotherapy posts currently available in Wales, as compared to figures for 2007 and each year available thereafter. (WAQ56086)

Answer issued on 22 June 2010

Investment in physiotherapy is a matter for local health boards.  Their investment is based on local needs and identified through their workforce plans.  The number of physiotherapy post in Wales is not routinely collected in this form.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide data relating to the number of people attending at A&E departments with alcohol related conditions for all available years since 1999, broken down by LHB area where possible. (WAQ56087)

Answer issued on 15 June 2010

We do not hold data prior to 2008 relating to the number of people attending at A&E departments where alcohol consumption could have been a contributory factor.  

The table below shows the number and percentage of alcohol related attendances for each LHB for the past 2 years.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Further to her answer to WAQ54547, will the Minister give an update on what figures are now held pertaining to the number of attenders at A&E departments who have been victims of domestic abuse. (WAQ56088)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Further to her answer to WAQ54547, what action has the Minister taken to ensure that A&E departments have adequate information systems to identify repeat attenders who may have been victims of domestic abuse and how many referrals have been made since July 2009. (WAQ56089)

Answer issued on 22 June 2010

As stated previously, no data is routinely collected at present but there is an action in our new Right to be Safe implementation plan which was published in March 2010. This states, "Develop and roll-out a national information system within A&E departments to identify victims and repeat victims of domestic abuse and violence against women to ensure appropriate referrals are made”. The target date for this action to be completed is 2011.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Further to her answer to WAQ54553, will the Minister provide an update on this matter. (WAQ56090)

Answer issued on 22 June 2010

I am currently waiting for advice from my officials on this issue.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Further to her answer to WAQ53830, what plans does the Minister have to seek to bring forward the Plenary debate that it was her intention to hold last summer. (WAQ56091)

Answer issued on 22 June 2010

My answer on 26 March 2009 referred to a debate.  It was later felt appropriate that the First Minister should make a statement to the Assembly, as promised in his statement on 24 March 2009.  This took place on 7 July 2009.

To ask the Minister for Rural Affairs

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What is the cost of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Red Tape Review Group to date and will the Minister provide a breakdown by a) all members’ reimbursements b) secretarial expenses and c) promotional costs. (WAQ56082)

Answer issued on 22 June 2010

The cost to date of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Red Tape Review Group is £2,626. The costs are:

There are no officials working full-time on the Red Tape Review and therefore any secretarial expenses linked to the work are included within existing Departmental Running Costs. Officials use existing means to inform the industry about the review, these include Gwlad magazine, press notices and my own Plenary statements. This means there are no promotional costs.