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1 Mar 2004 : Column 721W—continued
Flexible Working (Costs)
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the cost to NHS trusts of changes to (a) maternity leave, (b) paid paternity and adoption leave and (c) the right of parents of young children to apply to work flexibly which took effect in April 2003. [156061]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 27 February 2004]: This information is not held centrally.
Group B Streptococcus
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that the Green Top Guidelines, from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (a) reach all parts of maternity care
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services and (b) will be used to inform each hospital's protocol for preventing group B streptococcus infection in newborn babies; what resources have been allocated to dissemination and education; and if he will make a statement. [156557]
Dr. Ladyman: The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) published its clinical guidelines on the Prevention of Early Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease in November 2003. The RCOG clinical guidelines are recommendations for good practice and exist to help patients and their healthcare team make the right decisions about health care. The guidelines are developed by teams of healthcare professionals, patients and scientists who look at the best evidence about care for a particular condition.
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The Government supports the publication of the guidelines as they will inform local protocol and assist clinicians and patients in making decisions about the appropriate treatment for preventing group B streptococcus infection in newborn babies.
Resources for dissemination and education are not provided centrally.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he uses to ensure that high quality information about group B streptococcus is given to all pregnant women as a routine part of their antenatal care. [156558]
Dr. Ladyman: "The Pregnancy Book", which is given to all first time mothers in the antenatal period is currently being revised to include information about group B streptococcus and contact details of the Group B Strep Support Group.
We also encourage all women who have any questions or concerns during their pregnancy to speak with their midwife or other health care professionals responsible for their care.
Health Ombudsman's Report (Long-term Care)
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he expects all the cases of people suspected of wrongly paying for their long-term care following the Health Ombudsman's report on the subject will be (a) reviewed and (b) resolved; and if he will make a statement; [156337]
- (2) how many cases have been reviewed so far following the Health Ombudsman's report suggesting that a number of elderly and disabled people may have wrongly paid for their long-term care; of these, how many wrong assessments have been discovered; what action (a) has been and (b) is to be taken to rectify the wrong assessment cases; and if he will make a statement; [156338]
(3) what deadlines have been set for the review of long-term care following the Health Ombudsman's report suggesting that a number of elderly and disabled people may have wrongly paid for their long-term care; and if he will make a statement on the progress of the review. [156339]
Dr. Ladyman: The deadline for the completion of investigations into care wrongly denied is the end of March 2004. Strategic health authorities are expected to have completed their investigations by then. Figures detailing the number of investigations completed and the number of cases granted recompense will be available after the deadline, once the data has been validated.
Hospital Readmissions
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of readmission to hospital following discharge was for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [157163]
Dr. Ladyman: Readmission rates for the last three years, using the indicator definition for the 2003 performance ratings, are shown in the table. Earlier information is not available.
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| Readmission rate (standardised percentage) | |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 5.38 |
| 2001 | 5.49 |
| 2002 | 5.53 |
Lupus
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people in England who have lupus (SLE). [156105]
Dr. Ladyman: This information is not held centrally. However, Lupus UK estimates there may be around 40,000 people with lupus in the United Kingdom.
Malcolm Pointon
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 10 February 2004, Official Report, column 1410W, on free personal care, what the basis is for the statement that the impact of the Health Service Ombudsman decision in the case of Malcolm Pointon is included in the estimates of the cost of free personal care which were calculated in advance of the Ombudsman's decision. [156693]
Dr. Ladyman: The answer of 10 February 2004, Official Report, column 1410W, stated that the decision in the case of Malcolm Pointon is a decision on an individual case and as such has no bearing on national estimates of the cost of free personal care. Therefore, there would be no impact on the estimated costs.
Mental Health
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many carers of people with mental illness have received (a) a written assessment and (b) a written copy of the care plan of the person they care for, broken down by mental health trust; [154825]
- (2) what steps he has taken to (a) publicise the rights of mental health carers to an assessment of their own needs and (b) inform local carers' groups of the allocation of the carers grant; and if he will make a statement. [154826]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The national service framework (NSF) for mental health provides rationale and evidence base for a national standard for mental health services relating to carers of people with mental health problems.
In accordance with the NSF for mental health standard six, all individuals who provide regular and substantial care for a person on the care programme approach should have an assessment of their caring, physical and mental health needs repeated on at least an annual basis. People who provide regular and substantial care for a person on the care programme approach are also entitled to have their own written care plan which is given to them and implemented in discussion with them.
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The importance of support for carers was further emphasised in the "NHS Plan (2000)" and in the "Priorities and Planning Framework 2003–06" issued to local services.
Information about the number of carers with a written assessment and the number of carers with a copy of the care plan of the person they care for is not collected centrally.
The care co-ordinator under the care programme approach should inform users and carers of the carer's right to request an assessment and ensure co-ordination of users' and carers' assessment plans. The Department and the mental health charity Rethink also published a booklet entitled "A Commitment to Carers" which highlights the right to a carer's assessment.
Local councils are notified annually of their allocations of the carers grant in the local authority social services letter. Details are also published on the Department of Health carers website at www. carers.gov.uk.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether staff working in mental institutions in NHS hospitals (a) complete diversity training before they start their employment and (b) undergo regular diversity training. [155602]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 makes it clear that local services must deliver appropriate training to staff. We reinforce this message in our consultation document "Delivering Race Equality: A Framework for Action."
The National Institute of Mental Health in England's national workforce programme is developing a set of shared capabilities that all staff should possess as part of their education and training. One of these is to respect diversity and to provide care and interventions in ways that respect and value diversities including age, race, culture, disability, spirituality, gender and sexuality.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued by his Department to mental health trusts regarding control and restraint policies towards patients; and which mental health trusts have adopted these new procedures. [155629]
Ms Rosie Winterton: To assist trusts, in February 2004, the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) issued "Developing Positive Practice to Support the Safe and Therapeutic Management of Aggression and Violence in Mental Health In-patient Settings".
The NIMHE will be developing proposals for a national accreditation and regulation scheme for trainers and programmes of education and training.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence will also be publishing guidance later this year relating to management of violence.
For those detained under section of the Mental Health Act 1983, trusts should follow the guidance laid out in the Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice.
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Section 19.12 of the Code of Practice states that:
- "Any restraint used should:
- be reasonable in the circumstance;
- apply the minimum force necessary to prevent harm to the patient or others;
- be used for only as long as is necessary;
- be sensitive to gender and race issues."
Trusts should regularly audit their control and restraint procedures consistent with the framework of clinical governance. The management of trust performance is the responsibility of strategic health authorities. Information is not captured centrally about this. However, the Mental Health Act Commission reviews the operations of the Mental Health Act and copies of the commission's biennial report are available from the Stationery Office.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to reorganise mental health trusts; and if he will make a statement. [154444]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department has no plans to reorganise mental health trusts.
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