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Health Professions (Regulation)
12. Mr. Phil Sawford (Kettering): What measures he proposes for improving the regulation of health professions. [77710]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. John Denham): The Government are committed to improving quality in the national health service through the introduction of clinical governance. Strong, open and accountable systems of professional self-regulation play an integral part in that, and we want to work with the
professions to build on and strengthen existing systems. The Health Bill includes measures to allow for the regulation of new professions and the strengthening of existing regulatory schemes by order.
Mr. Sawford: I thank my hon. Friend for that answer and welcome any action that is designed to improve the regulation of health professions. I draw his attention in particular to the situation regarding psychologists. It would seem that people can call themselves counsellors, therapists or psychologists without receiving any training whatever. Will my hon. Friend support the current moves by that profession to establish a register of chartered psychologists in order to protect the public from possible exploitation, abuse or harm? If necessary, can such registration be made a statutory requirement?
Mr. Denham: I share my hon. Friend's concern about bogus psychologists or anyone else who makes false claims concerning health care and treatment. The Government are well aware of the issues involved.
The order-making power proposed under the Health Bill would allow regulatory schemes to be set up for health care professions, such as psychology, that are not yet covered by statute. Our officials who are directly involved in developing the proposals have discussed those matters with the British Psychological Society, and the Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Barrow and Furness (Mr. Hutton), will hear the views of the society on 21 April. That will help us to consider the options and reach a decision in due course about the right action to take.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):
While we may accept that some regulation of the medical profession may be necessary, does the Minister agree that the medical profession across the spectrum requires a boost in morale? Will he follow the example set by the East Cheshire NHS trust and its chairman Peter Hayes and ensure that morale across the hospital service is of the highest order? In doing that, he would ensure the best service provision to the people of this country and treatment of a maximum number of people.
Mr. Denham:
I am very keen, as are my right hon. and hon. Friends, to ensure that best practice is spread throughout the national health service. The system of NHS beacons is designed, among other things, to identify good practice in leadership and management. I hope that the hon. Gentleman's local trust will be able to contribute to that process. However, the hon. Gentleman should not underestimate the significant determination of the medical profession to modernise its system of self-regulation, which I think will benefit patients throughout the country.
Mr. John Heppell (Nottingham, East):
I welcome the Minister's attempts to improve the quality of service in our hospitals. However, is he aware that last week two patients in Nottingham City hospital contracted malaria? Even more worrying, it has been discovered since then that another patient who was discharged from the hospital has died from malaria. Will the Minister assure us that
Mr. Denham:
That is a very unusual occurrence.
Madam Speaker:
It had nothing to do with the question, either.
Mr. Denham:
For the reason given by my hon. Friend, the authorities will certainly establish what happened in that case and whether there are any lessons to be learned from that.
13. Mr. John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood):
When he expects to announce the conclusion of his Department's reviews affecting regional specialist units at hospitals in the borough of Hillingdon. [77711]
The Secretary of State for Health (Mr. Frank Dobson):
The Turnberg report on the future of London's health services recommended a thorough review of specialist health services in west London. We accepted all the Turnberg recommendations, including that one. A group covering all the specialist services involved is now considering how best to provide top-quality patient services, teaching and research in that area, which includes Harefield hospital in Hillingdon. The hon. Gentleman will, I hope, be reassured to know that I have discussed the review with Sir Magdi Yacoub on two occasions, that he is content with the proposals and that I have given him my personal undertaking that NHS funding will be available to help to fund the heart sciences centre and the patient services centre at Harefield.
Mr. Wilkinson:
I am most grateful to the Secretary of State for that reply, particularly with regard to Harefield. However, I turn his attention to the future of the regional specialty for burns and plastic surgery at Mount Vernon hospital. There is a grave discrepancy between the right hon. Gentleman's boasts that he will take into account local opinions on the siting of services, and the blithe disregard for the wishes of local people as expressed in a petition with more than 80,000 signatures, as well as an early-day motion in my name and a deputation to the former Minister of State, the right hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn).
Will the right hon. Gentleman now assure us that he will invest in centres of excellence such as Mount Vernon and Harefield, rather than putting all his eggs in the basket of the private finance initiative hospital, which may be seductive for the financiers, but is not necessarily the most cost-effective option?
Mr. Dobson:
The future of the burns and plastic surgery unit at Mount Vernon hospital is being considered by an expert advisory group. The group has not yet reported back even to Hillingdon health authority. If local people and the community health council are opposed to the proposals, the decision will eventually rest with me. No decisions have been made. I shall, in line with the Turnberg recommendations, make sure that the best health services for treatment, training and research are available in west London. That may or may not mean that there
Mr. Tony McNulty (Harrow, East):
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the future of specialist treatment centres such as the burns and plastics unit at Mount Vernon would have been better assured if, in 1996, before the election, the Tories had not closed the hospital's accident and emergency department?
14. Mr. Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow, West):
What action he is taking to promote high standards in social work; and if he will make a statement. [77712]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Mr. John Hutton):
We shall promote high and improved standards for all social care staff. We have already announced our proposals to create a general social care council. Before that, we aim to reshape the social work training system and launch a new post-qualifying award in child care later this year. This summer, our new training strategy will allow us to start raising qualification levels in the whole social care work force.
Mr. Thomas:
Does my hon. Friend agree that a key to high standards in social work is a trained work force? Is he aware that some 80 per cent. of the social care work force do not have any qualifications? Is that a priority for him, and what action is he taking to improve the situation?
Mr. Hutton:
I strongly agree with my hon. Friend. It is unacceptable to us--and, I am sure, to everyone in the House--that such an important group of key workers remain largely unqualified. Some of the measures that I have already announced will help to raise the qualification levels in the social care work force, but my hon. Friend may be particularly interested in the steps that we are taking to introduce a new national vocational qualification level 3 award for people working in residential child care settings. It is our priority to improve the qualification levels of all the social care work force, and the programmes that we have set in train will achieve that.
Mr. Peter Luff (Mid-Worcestershire):
Does the Minister recall the recent letter that he sent to Worcestershire county council congratulating it on the high priority that it attaches to a high standard of social work and social services? Does he understand that that demands an inflation-busting increase in council tax of 9.9 per cent? To avoid any possible charge of hypocrisy, will he make representations to his right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister in order that the county council is not penalised for protecting social services and social work, to which the Minister says he attaches such importance?
Mr. Hutton:
The local government settlement was a fair one for all authorities. I have recently been to Worcester to see at first hand some of the outstanding and excellent social care schemes that the county council is organising. I pay tribute to the staff there for that. I am
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