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Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he proposes to answer the question tabled by the hon. Member for Waveney on 24 November concerning the terms of reference of the National Burn Care Review (ref. 100497). [102600]
Mr. Denham: I replied to my hon. Friend today at column 50W.
Biomedical Scientists
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the pay scales of trainee biomedical scientists in the NHS. [102346]
Mr. Denham:
Biomedical scientists are classed as medical laboratory scientific officers (MLSOs) for pay and grading purposes. Their pay scales are attached to
13 Dec 1999 : Column: 54W
a common pay spine for National Health Service professional and technical staff. The current pay scale for trainee MLSOs, effective since 1 December 1998 is:
| Spine point | £ |
|---|---|
| 00 | 7,476 |
| 01 | 7,726 |
| 02 | 7,988 |
| 03 | 8,260 |
| 04 | 8,544 |
| 05 | 8,839 |
| 06 | 9,146 |
| 07 | 9,463 |
| 08 | 9,796 |
Pay is negotiated in the Professional and Technical Staffs Whitley Council. The staff side is consulting their members on the NHS management side's offer of:
An increase in national pay scales for professional and technical B staff of 3 per cent.
An increase of 13.5 per cent. in London Weighting Allowances which will restore them to 1995 values.
Additional increases for staff working in cytology screening, with trainee cytology screeners getting 6.6 per cent. and qualified cytology screeners getting up to 11.4 per cent.
Additional increases for staff in the MLSO grades, with trainee MLSOs getting up to 26 per cent., and MLSO1s and some MLSO2s getting 7.1 per cent.
If accepted this offer would produce a new pay scale for trainee MLSOs effective from 1 April 1999 of:
| Spine point | £ |
|---|---|
| 00 | 9,420 |
| 01 | 9,747 |
| 02 | 10,090 |
| 03 | 10,443 |
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many biomedical scientists are employed in each NHS hospital trust; and at what grade. [102303]
Mr. Denham: The information requested is not available centrally.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what educational and training qualifications biomedical scientists require to gain state registration. [102347]
Mr. Denham: The title "state registered biomedical scientist" is not protected in law. Most biomedical scientists become state registered as medical laboratory technicians following acquisition of an approved honours degree in biomedical science and a minimum of one year's practical training in an approved laboratory. The approval of courses, qualifications and institutions for the purpose of state registration as a medical laboratory technician is a matter for the Medical Laboratory Technicians Board of the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine.
Social Care Staff
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what safety training is mandatory for social care staff. [102386]
13 Dec 1999 : Column: 55W
Mr. Hutton:
Social care employers are under a duty to ensure that their staff are trained to lift properly and to use any equipment that is regulated by the Health and Safety Executive. The Training Organisation for the Personal Social Services will incorporate health and safety issues in the new induction training it is preparing to be made available for all social care staff.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents of violence have been recorded against social workers in each of the last five years; what measures his Department takes to monitor such incidents; and what plans he has to review the monitoring process. [102385]
Mr. Hutton:
Information about the number of incidents of violence against social workers is not collected centrally. However, we are determined to reduce substantially the incidence of violence towards everyone working in social care. We have set up a taskforce to produce a national action plan by November 2000 with recommendations and timescales for action to reduce violence against social care staff and to promote the safety and welfare of social care workers.
In particular, the taskforce will advise the Department on the setting of targets that social care employers will be set for the reduction of violence against social care staff, and the arrangements for monitoring progress. They will also advise social care employers on the development, implementation and monitoring of strategies to reduce violence, to train the workforce in handling confrontational situations, and to support staff who have been the victims of violent incidents.
Mr. Cousins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis, and on what assessment of performance, each of the local social service authorities were identified for special Government scrutiny; and in what form, and over what period, this scrutiny is to take place. [102421]
Mr. Hutton:
There are 17 local social service authorities which are the subject of special monitoring arrangements by the Department's Social Services Inspectorate (SSI). Of these, five received adverse joint review reports; nine received adverse SSI inspection reports and three received an adverse external inquiry report into their care practices.
These authorities have been on the monitored list from between 2 and a half years and one month. All authorities are required to develop an action plan to resolve the problems which resulted in their being monitored by the SSI.
All 17 authorities will continue to receive special monitoring until further inspections and other assessments of their performance indicate that the requirements for improvements in their action plans have been met and that the changes are sustainable.
13 Dec 1999 : Column: 56W
Mr. Dawson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of extending eligibility as defined in Clause 1 of the Children (Leaving Care) Bill [Lords] to young people up to the age of 21 years. [102201]
Mr. Hutton:
It is essential that any new duties introduced through the Children (Leaving Care) Bill are fully and properly funded as part of our commitment to improving the life chances of these young people. Work is currently under way to estimate the costs of extending assistance to young people up to the age of 21.
Referring to the duty to assess and meet the needs of young people in and leaving care, our response to the Children's Safeguards Review stated
Mr. Jim Murphy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the health and social care concordat. [102693]
Mr. Milburn:
The text of the Health and Social Care Concordat which will guide the work of officials has been agreed with the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales, without prejudice to the position of the Northern Ireland Executive Committee. Copies were placed in the Library on 9 December.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his progress towards regulating children's homes where four or fewer children are accommodated. [102213]
Mr. Hutton:
We introduced the Care Standards Bill on 2 December into another place. Clause 38 of the Bill is intended to amend the Children Act 1989 to allow local authorities to extend regulation to small homes which are currently not registered or inspected. These are small private children's homes which accommodate fewer than four children.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of home chiropody services by health authorities in England and Wales. [102214]
Mr. Hutton:
It is the responsibility of individual health authorities in England and Wales to assess the broad health care needs of their population, and to secure a range of hospital and community health services such as home chiropody services to meet those needs. Decisions about health care and the use of resources are best taken at local level because it is there that people's needs are best known and services can be tailored accordingly.
13 Dec 1999 : Column: 57W
Mr. Woodward:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department will reply to the letter of the hon. Member for Witney of 5 May regarding a constituent, Dr. Kate Cropper. [102191]
Ms Stuart:
I replied to the hon. Member on 8 December.
"the Government is also minded to extend this duty until the young person reaches the age of 21. However, it will first study the costs, limitations and affordability of doing so".
We remain committed to extending the duty to 18-21-year-old care leavers when finances allow. The Children (Leaving Care) Bill makes provision for this at Section 24A 4(a).
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