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Restraint Techniques
Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths have occurred in the United Kingdom as (a) direct and (b) indirect result of the use of control and restraint techniques by nurses in the last five years; and if he will give a breakdown by ethnicity of the deceased. [75949]
Mr. Hutton: The information requested is not available centrally.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the control and restraint techniques used on mentally ill patients. [75957]
Mr. Hutton: A number of courses are available to train staff in methods of restraint and many units have developed in-house procedures to meet their particular needs. Information about the range of techniques is not available centrally.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 3 March 1999, Official Report, column 820, on the Norvic Clinic, if he will list the circumstances of each of the occasions between 2 November 1997 and 4 December 1998 when control and restraint techniques were applied by nursing staff at the Norvic Clinic, Norwich; and if he will provide a breakdown by ethnicity of the patients involved. [75959]
Mr. Hutton: Between 2 November 1997 and 4 December 1998 there were 45 occasions when control and restraint techniques were applied by nursing staff at the Norvic Clinic, Norwich. Of those 45 occasions, 36 involved a patient categorised as white; 8 involved black Afro-Carribean patients; and 1 involved a patient categorised as "black other".
Violence against Nurses
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many reported assaults, and other acts of violence there were against nurses in the workplace; and how many successful prosecutions of such assaults there were in each year since 1990; [75956]
- (2) what action is being taken to ensure that nurses who are subject to violence in the workplace are supported in subsequent legal action. [75955]
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Mr. Denham: We have made it very clear that violence against all staff working in the National Health Service is unacceptable. We expect employers in the National Health Service to establish close working relationships with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service so that staff can be assured that they will have the full force of the law behind them. We also expect local managers to provide whatever support is needed to help staff who are assaulted to recover, and also to advise and support them through any subsequent legal process.
Information on the number of reported assaults and other acts of violence against nurses in the workplace, and those that were successfully prosecuted is not available centrally.
Mr. Duncan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has had from (a) the Royal College of Nursing and (b) other bodies, regarding violence against nurses. [75952]
Mr. Denham:
We have received representations from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and other health bodies including the Manufacturing, Sciences and Finance Union, the British Medical Association, UNISON and the National Health Service Confederation regarding violence against nurses.
That is why we launched the NHS Guidance, "Safer Working in the Community: A guide for NHS managers and staff on reducing the risks of violence and aggression" at the start of the RCN's joint campaign "Stamp out Violence" on the 28 October 1998, which we fully endorse.
The Government are determined to ensure that NHS staff who spend their lives caring for others are not rewarded with intimidation and violence. Violence to staff is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
Mr. Syms:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards the Government's target of introducing three to five-year agreements between health care teams and hospitals. [76033]
Mr. Denham:
Guidance issued in October 1998 set out how we expect health authorities, primary care groups and National Health Service trusts to work together and with social services, users and carers and others to develop and implement long-term service agreements.
All service agreements beginning April 1999 are to be set in the context of the longer-term relationships and objectives being established through health improvement programmes. Fully fledged long-term service agreements are to be developed through a rolling programme. The new primary care groups have been asked to aim to develop at least two such agreements for the period beginning April 1999.
Mr. Syms:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards creating a new Patients Charter. [76032]
Mr. Denham:
We asked Greg Dyke, Chairman of Pearson Television, to develop proposals for a new National Health Service Charter. His report "The New
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NHS Charter--A Different Approach" was published in December. We intend to undertake consultation on proposals taking account of the report in the near future.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce an independent ombudsman or other independent complaints system for complaints about (a) QCs, (b) the Bar and (c) solicitors; and if he will make a statement. [75784]
Mr. Hoon:
The Office of the Legal Services Ombudsman was established by the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 because of concern that complaints about the provision of legal services should be investigated properly and thoroughly. The Ombudsman, who is statutorily independent of Government and the legal profession, has powers, inter alia, to examine allegations and make certain recommendations concerning the handling of complaints against barristers and solicitors (including QCs) by their professional bodies.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to monitor the amount of pro bono work done by (a) barristers, (b) QCs and (c) solicitors; and if he will make a statement. [75785]
Mr. Hoon:
The Government have no plans at present to monitor formally the amount of pro bono work carried out by the legal profession.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department to what extent, in considering the appointment of new QCs, the Lord Chancellor takes into account (a) the past record of the applicant's undertaking of pro bono work and (b) the willingness of the applicant, if appointed, to undertake pro bono work. [75787]
Mr. Hoon:
Neither the undertaking of, nor a willingness to undertake, pro bono work is one of the published criteria for appointment. Where applicants highlight the extent of the pro bono work they have undertaken, this is treated as a part of their practice which is not reflected in their fee income.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department to what extent, in considering the appointment of new QCs and taking into account levels of earnings of applicants a discount is given against the levels of earnings to reflect pro bono work; and if he will make a statement. [75786]
Mr. Hoon:
My noble and learned Friend considers applications for Queen's Counsel against published criteria. The application form, which applicants complete,
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requires them to give gross fee income for the last three years. The criteria require successful applicants to have a high quality practice, and the level of fee income is an indicator of size of practice. Applicants are also asked to state if the level of their fees has been affected by the nature of their, or their firm's practice. Where applicants highlight the extent of the pro bono work they have undertaken that is treated as part of their practice which does not reflect in their fee income.
Dr. Gibson:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he is taking to publicise the proposed reforms of the legal aid system in a manner accessible to potential users of the legal services, with particular reference to community legal services. [75512]
Mr. Hoon:
The proposed reforms of the legal aid system have been publicised in the White Paper "Modernising Justice", published in December 1998, in a summary version which has been widely distributed and in press releases and media briefing in connection with the Access to Justice Bill. The proposals are also available on the internet.
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