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28 Jan 2003 : Column 801W—continued

Child Protection

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on profiling of individuals in assessing the basis of unsubstantiated allegations in relation to child protection. [92290]

Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has no policy on the profiling of individuals in assessing the basis of unsubstantiated allegations of child abuse.

Not all allegations of child abuse are substantiated. However, it is essential that all reports of child welfare concerns, whether made by professionals or the general public, are taken seriously and responded to promptly. The response should take into account any concerns that may previously have been received and focus on assessing the needs of the referred child.

Children's Services (Greater Manchester)

Mr. Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made in establishing a supervisory board for children's services within Greater Manchester for primary, secondary and tertiary paediatric services. [84571]

Mr. Andrew Smith [holding answer 2 December 2002]: I am aware that senior representatives of the strategic health authority and the Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust recently met local hon. Members to inform them of progress.

28 Jan 2003 : Column 802W

I understand that the Greater Manchester strategic health authority recently circulated proposals to establish a children's network supervisory board. Comments have been requested by the end of January.

Cleft Lip and Palate Services

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to reply to the letters of the Chairman of East Dorset Community Health Council of 27 September and 29 October, regarding cleft lip and palate services. [85474]

Ms Blears: This concerns an appeal to the Secretary of State by East Dorset Community Health Council regarding recommendations for the reconfiguration of the cleft lip and palate service. I will be writing to Mr. McCarthy as the Chair of the CHC, shortly.

Commission for Patient and

Public Involvement in Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will define the term "traditionally marginalised groups" used in his Department's press release of 31 December 2002, New Era in Patient and Public Involvement in NHS. [92595]

Mr. Lammy: The Department does not hold a definitive list of marginalised groups as it is for local health communities to determine which are the relevant groups in their area who do not generally have an opportunity to be involved in decisions about matters affecting their health.

Paragraph 13.2 of the NHS Plan talks about

"tackling disadvantage in all its forms—poverty, lack of educational attainment, unemployment, discrimination and social exclusion"

and recognises that inequity in access to services is not restricted to social class and geography and that people with disabilities and minority ethnic communities have specific needs.

Community Care

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the proposed fee increases from the Department of Health to be administered by local authorities for the provision of community care. [92872]

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not set or recommend the rates at which councils contract with residential care and nursing homes. The detail of contracting arrangements between councils and independent sector providers of care is a matter for local decision.

The Government are providing records levels of funding for social services. Resources have increased nationally by 20 per cent. in real terms between 1996–97 and 2002–03, an average real terms increase of 3 per cent. per annum.

In addition, as announced on 17 April, we are increasing the resources for personal social services by an annual average of 6 per cent. in real terms from 2003–04 to 2005–06. Local councils will be able to use the extra resources to stabilise the care home market and provide more care home places.

28 Jan 2003 : Column 803W

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definitions he uses of (a) continuing care and (b) nursing care in a person's own home; and if he will make a statement. [92989]

Jacqui Smith: Guidance to the national health service and councils on eligibility for continuing care is contained in HSC 2001/015: LAC (2001) 18, published in June 2001.

The guidance makes it clear that fully funded NHS continuing health care can be provided in a person's own home, if the individual meets the criteria and it is possible to provide the care they need in their own home. In addition, the NHS routinely provides or arranges care from registered nurses and other staff in people's own homes.

Community Health Councils

Mr. John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the future of community health councils. [93963]

Mr. Lammy: An announcement on the future of community health councils will be made shortly.

Delayed Discharge

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the accuracy of the delayed discharge figures; and what audit mechanisms are in place to ensure the figures are accurately collected and collated. [92992]

Jacqui Smith: The NHS Plan set out the Government's commitment to reduce substantially the number of people waiting to be discharged from hospital when they are fit to do so. Good progress has been made so far, with over 1,500 fewer people waiting to be discharged on any one day between September 2001 and September 2002. The Department is concerned to ensure that all data are as accurate as possible. Since April 2002, primary care trusts are responsible for submitting quarterly data to the Department. The Department can, and does, query data via the relevant strategic health authority on a regular basis.

Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many delayed discharge patients there were in hospital in (a) the latest month for which figures are available and (b) May 2002, broken down by local authority area in England. [89694]

Jacqui Smith [holding answers 14 January 2002]: The information requested is not available in the form requested. Delayed discharge data for England from September 2001 to September 2002 are shown in the table. These data are not available by council areas. Delayed discharges are a joint health and social services indicator and data are submitted to the Department on the basis of national health service organisations, the data having been agreed with their social services partners.

Since April 2002, this has been broken down by primary care trust areas and prior to that; by health authority. The detailed breakdowns by health authority and primary care trust have been placed in the Library.

28 Jan 2003 : Column 804W

England: Numbers of delayed discharges of patients of all ages by primary care trust⁽³⁵⁾

	Delayed discharges
September 2002	5,385
June 2002	5,489
March 2002	5,473
December 2001	6,419
September 2001	7,065

⁽³⁵⁾ March 2002, December 2001 and September 2001 figures were collected by health authorities

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the recent levels of delayed discharges in (a) North Yorkshire and (b) England. [93015]

Jacqui Smith: There has been a continued reduction in delayed discharges in England, the latest figures for September 2002 show 5,385 delays compared to 7,065 in September 2001. Delayed discharges are a joint health and social services indicator and data are submitted to the Department on the basis of national health service organisations, the data having been agreed with their social services partners. Since April 2002, this has been broken down by primary care trust (PCT). The detailed breakdowns by PCT for June 2002 and September 2002 have been placed in the Library.

Dentists (Fareham)

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the dental practices that accept NHS patients in Fareham. [93201]

Ms Blears [holding answer 27 January 2003]: There are five dental practices with addresses in Fareham who have national health service patients on their books. They are listed as follows:

(i) 16 Park lane


Fareham


PO16 7J"


(ii) 4 Grove Road


Fareham


PO16 0N"


(iii) 8 Kings Road


Fareham


PO16 0N"


(iv) 98 Highlands Road


Fareham


PO15 6JF


(v) 12 South Street


Titchfield


Fareham


PO14 4DJ

Performance Report

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department's autumn performance report for 2002 will be published. [93153]

Mr. Lammy: In December 2002, the Department published the Chief Executive's Report to the National Health Service, setting out progress during 2001–02 and for the first six months of the year.

28 Jan 2003 : Column 805W

This report sets out clearly how the increased resources within the NHS are being used to improve performance by providing more care for patients, improving quality and providing investment for the future.

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