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17 Nov 2003 : Column 617W—continued
Stroke Units
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to his answer of 27 October 2003, Official Report, column 99W, on stroke, how the stroke units that do not have rehabilitation stroke beds seek to rehabilitate their patients; [138930]
- (2) pursuant to his answers of 27 October 2003, Official Report, column 99W and 23 October 2003, Official Report, column 736W, on strokes, whether he intends that specialist stroke units should have separate acute care and rehabilitation units; and whether a combined unit is sufficient to meet the stroke service target. [139011]
Dr. Ladyman: The stroke service model in the national service framework for older people states that an integrated stroke service will involve specialist stroke services providing acute care and rehabilitation. Decisions on how that rehabilitation will be provided are best taken at a local level. Different models of care may emerge, but we anticipate that most trusts will establish a rehabilitation stroke unit.
The target of all general hospitals that care for people with stroke to have a specialised stroke service by April 2004, as described in the stroke service model, is well on its way to being met. 94 per cent. of the hospitals that provide stroke care now have a specialised stroke service.
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which general hospitals which care for people who have had strokes have not developed plans to introduce a specialised stroke service from 2004. [137932]
Dr. Ladyman: 171 out of 181 hospitals which provide stroke services are planning to meet the target on time. Officials are in discussions with those who may not meet the target and hope to meet them in the near future to identify what central support we can provide to help them achieve the target.
Supported Accommodation
Mr. Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers a local authority has to place an adult whose family live in that local authority in supported accommodation in another local authority area; and which local authority has the financial responsibility for that adult. [138965]
Dr. Ladyman: When a council makes arrangements for an adult to enter residential accommodation under section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948, the council should make the placement in the most appropriate accommodation to meet the individual's assessed need subject to the National Assistance Act 1948 (Choice of Accommodation) Directions 1992. In doing so the placing council may place the individual in residential accommodation its own area or in the area of another council in England. Generally, no matter where the individual is placed, the placing council retains
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care management and financial responsibility for the individual for as long as he remains in residential accommodation under section 21.
Waiting List Deaths
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people died while on a waiting list for an operation in each national health service hospital in (a) London and (b) the London borough of Havering in (i) 1995, (ii) 1997, (iii) 1999, (iv) 2001 and (v) 2002. [137323]
Mr. Hutton: This information is not held centrally.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were waiting for surgery in the London borough of Havering on 31 December (a) 2002, (b) 2001, (c) 2000, (d) 1999, (e) 1998 and (f) 1997. [137328]
Mr. Hutton: This information is not held centrally.
Information for individual trusts and specialties is available on the Department's website at http://www.doh.gov.uk/waitingtimes
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for health how many people are waiting for an operation in each of the London boroughs. [137332]
Mr. Hutton: This information is not collected centrally.
Information for individual trusts and specialties is available on the Department's website at www. doh.gov.uk/waitingtimes.
Work-related Stress
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of work related stress have been reported in his Department in each of the last three years; how much compensation has been paid to employees; how many work days have been lost due to work related stress, and at what cost, what procedures have been put in place to reduce work related stress, and at what cost; and if he will make a statement. [136858]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department holds no data on reported cases of work related stress, so we cannot identify costs. Central records on compensation payments do not record work-related stress separately.
The Department has a number of procedures in place to help managers and staff to be aware of and to reduce work-related stress.
The Department is committed to its legal obligation to provide a safe working environment for employees and its commitment to meeting targets for reducing the number of working days lost generally due to work related injuries and illness arising from the Government's Revitalising Health and Safety initiative.
Working Time Directive
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of the Working Time Directive on the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [136134]
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Mr. Hutton: The Working Time Directive (WTD) came into force for all staff in the national health service, with the exception of junior doctors in training, in 1998 and has already been effectively implemented. From August 2004, doctors in training will be subject to a limit of 58 hours a week under the WTD. A substantial programme of work is currently under way to support implementation within the NHS in the context of providing safe and effective services. Trusts have been asked to provide action plans for compliance with the Directive in respect of doctors in training by 31 December, to be agreed with their strategic health authorities.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of the implementation of the European Working Time Directive on (a) hospital waiting times and (b) junior doctor training. [137069]
Mr. Hutton: Strategic health authorities (SHAs) are assessing the readiness of trusts to comply with the Working Time Directive (WTD) for doctors in training and continuing to deliver service priorities, including waiting times. Trusts have been asked to provide action plans for compliance with the WTD in respect of doctors in training by 31 December, to be agreed with their SHAs. A substantial programme of work is underway to support implementation and WTD pilots are beginning to demonstrate that the right mix of solutions can be found locally to deliver improved services for patients, fairer working hours and extended opportunities across the work force.
The pilots are also implementing medical training posts, which are designed to offer doctors suitable programmes of training and achieve WTD compliance. Also, the modernising medical careers programme has been informed by the requirements of the WTD. These initiatives, together with discussions taking place with the Medical Royal Colleges, are designed to ensure that doctors continue to receive the high quality training that they and their patients deserve.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had on the implementation of the European Working Time Directive in the health sector in other EU countries. [137070]
Mr. Hutton: Ministers and officials at the Department held discussions with counterparts in other member states throughout the previous negotiation and subsequent implementation of the European Working Time Directive (WTD).
Further to the recent announcement of a Commission Review of the WTD, which they were required to undertake, we continue to actively engage with fellow member states to ensure that the interests of health workers and the national health service are protected. We expect the Commission to publish their proposals in late November and we continue to work to try and influence the content of this communication.
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ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Abattoirs
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will make a statement on the Government's policy towards small abattoirs; [137247]
(2) how many slaughterhouse premises have closed in the last 12 months; and what effect this has had on increasing journey times of livestock to slaughter within the United Kingdom. [137269]
Mr. Bradshaw: Slaughtering of livestock for human consumption is a commercial activity provided in response to the market, and livestock producers are free to choose which abattoirs to use. According to information provided by The Food Standards Agency, 25 red meat abattoirs had their licences terminated in the United Kingdom over the last 12 months.
The Government support the robust enforcement of rules protecting animal welfare during transport. However, they do not attempt to manage the sector in a dirigiste way, including the numbers and locations of abattoirs.
As part of the wider Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food, we are working with industry to help secure a network of abattoirs and meat cutting plants including small enterprises. As part of our work, we are finalising data on the structure of the sector and this should help in the further development of strategic policies. We are already encouraging the use of investment grants within the England Rural Development Programme to help improve industry structure, processing and marketing. In addition, we are committing significant resources to the Red Meat Industry Forum and are actively participating in its work to improve the competitiveness of the red meat supply chain.
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