Tuesday Volume 503 12 January 2010 No. 22 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 12 January 2010 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2010 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through the Office of Public Sector Information website at www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/ Enquiries to the Office of Public Sector Information, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 537 12 JANUARY 2010 538 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health House of Commons (Ann Keen): The taskforce has heard evidence from many groups representing women and children who are victims of all forms of violence, including trafficking. Tuesday 12 January 2010 The taskforce on the health aspects of violence against women and girls, chaired by Sir George Alberti, is The House met at half-past Two o’clock currently considering the report and the recommendations of the sub-group on harmful traditional practices and trafficking, which it established for that purpose. PRAYERS Mr. Steen: Is the Minister aware that many trafficked women display multiple problems, both physical and [MR.SPEAKER in the Chair] mental, and that when they go to accident and emergency units in hospitals, as well as to general practitioners, they are not readily identified as trafficked women, but viewed as victims of violence? Will she therefore consider Oral Answers to Questions whether we could improve training for both GPs and hospital staff, so that when they actually meet battered or mentally disturbed women who have been trafficked, HEALTH they recognise that, rather than seeing them simply as victims of violence? The Secretary of State was asked— Ann Keen: First, I am sure the whole House congratulates Dentistry (Shropshire) the hon. Gentleman on his work with the all-party group. He has been such a force for good, and not only 1. Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury and Atcham) (Con): in our own country: he has often visited other European What plans there are to improve NHS dental provision countries to see what is happening. in Shropshire. [310016] I know that Devon black and minority ethnic community development workers engage with vulnerable communities, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health but the taskforce is such an important one and the (Ann Keen): The Department has invested a record questions are so relevant. The training that health care £2 billion in dentistry and set up a national access workers receive for meeting difficult situations will be programme to help the national health service deliver covered in Sir George Alberti’s report, which we expect its commitment to provide, by 2011, access for all who to be published in early February. A specific training seek it. It is, of course, the responsibility of Shropshire mandate will, I feel, be put in place from those County primary care trust to plan and develop appropriate recommendations. services, including dental services, to meet the needs of its resident population. Alan Simpson (Nottingham, South) (Lab): I doubt Daniel Kawczynski: I thank the Minister for that whether anyone can match the hon. Member for Totnes answer, but I must tell her that my experience of trying (Mr. Steen) for the work he has done on this issue, but to find an NHS dentist in Shrewsbury for myself and my limited experience of it prompts me to ask whether my family has been an absolute nightmare. Can she the interface that trafficked women have with health provide me with a list of NHS dentists in Shrewsbury services in the voluntary sector can be assisted by and Atcham that are currently taking on patients, so overcoming the linguistic barriers, which are part of the that I can share that with my constituents? problem. In many cases there is a heavy dependence on people who are themselves part of refugee communities Ann Keen: I am sorry that the hon. Gentleman and to act as translators. Often, they have real difficulties his family were troubled with uncomfortable dental facing the Home Office when addressing their own pain at some time, but I know that he accessed the problems regarding deportation. Will the Minister ask advice line and that he was assisted. I would be happy to for a coherent interface between key workers and those talk outside the Chamber about any particular points within the refugee communities in that process, to ease that he wants to make on that. Of course, access to the problems that those women face? NHS dentistry has grown in Shropshire. Over the past 12 months the number of people who have seen an Ann Keen: My hon. Friend raises some more excellent NHS dentist has risen by more than 11,000. I am aware points. Those areas are covered by the research and the that the PCT is tendering three new contracts—in Market report’s findings, and we are working across Government Drayton, Oswestry and Bridgnorth—which are due to with other Ministers, particularly Home Office Ministers, start in April 2010, and a new contract was tendered in to address that very point. 2006 for Shrewsbury as a high-priority area. Trafficked Women NHS Funding 2. Mr. Anthony Steen (Totnes) (Con): What recent representations the health taskforce on violence 3. Dr. Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) against women and girls has received on the role and (Lab): What account is taken of relative levels of response of health services in respect of trafficked deprivation in determining NHS resource allocations. people. [310017] [310018] 539 Oral Answers12 JANUARY 2010 Oral Answers 540 The Secretary of State for Health (Andy Burnham): Norman Lamb (North Norfolk) (LD): The Secretary Deprivation is accounted for in the NHS funding formula, of State will be aware that GP practices in deprived which reflects both deprived and older populations’ communities lose out financially and that there are greater need for health care. An additional health 18 per cent. fewer GPs working in poorer communities. inequalities component in the formula directs funding He will also be aware that the Health Committee heard to the places with the worst health outcomes, targeting evidence of the failure of the incentive scheme for health inequalities better than ever before. payments to GPs to do anything effective about health inequalities. There is evidence supporting the call for Dr. Blackman-Woods: Can the Secretary of State tell radical action to change the way in which the qualities the House whether he has any further plans to try to and outcomes framework works. When will the Government reduce health inequalities by targeting resources further take action to change the current completely unacceptable towards the most deprived areas of the country? Does situation, whereby GPs in richer areas are paid better he agree that the Opposition’s premium pledge is just a than those in poorer communities? sham, because the policy is already being implemented Andy Burnham: Of course we keep such matters by the Government? under review at all times. However, the funding formula for general practice contains a minimum practice income Andy Burnham: I can say to my hon. Friend that next guarantee, which protects precisely those practices to year County Durham PCT will receive £1,800 per head which the hon. Gentleman referred. I would also point of population, £200 more than the England average, him towards the respected international Commonwealth reflecting the fact that there are higher levels of disease Fund, which late last year published a comparison of and deprivation in her local community. Obviously that primary care in the 12 most developed countries around has been a component of the formula since 1999. The the world. It is a source of huge pride to me and to Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation in the NHS every Member on the Government Front Bench—indeed, keeps the matter under review, and it says that the to every Member on the Labour Benches—that primary decision is an interim step to give more money to tackle care under this Labour Government is the envy of the health inequalities. We keep the matter under review, world. and I can advise my hon. Friend that Professor Marmot will shortly give us his report on further action to tackle Mr. Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester) (Lab): Is my right health inequalities, which we shall consider in due course. hon. Friend aware that the alternative formula that was put forward in this Chamber three years ago by the Philip Davies (Shipley) (Con): Surely the purpose of hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) the NHS is simply to treat individuals, wherever they would reduce the funding going to our local NHS in happen to live around the country, with the treatment Gloucestershire by £109 for every man, woman and that they need to deal with their particular problems. child who lives there? Will my right hon. Friend resist Will the Secretary of State confirm that all health that 9 per cent. cut to our local NHS? spending will be given on that basis, and that basis alone, rather than basing it on the socio-economic Andy Burnham: What I would say to my hon. Friend environment in which an individual lives? is that we have sat in the House over the past five years of this Parliament and heard every member of the shadow health team criticise the Government for allocating Andy Burnham: I am told that there is a general more resources to communities with higher health needs election not too far off. May I respectfully point out to and more deprivation. So when we read what the the hon.