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Armed Forces Pay Review Body

The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Geoffrey Hoon): I am pleased to announce that I have re-appointed Dr Anne Wright as a member of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body for a second three-year term, commencing March 2005. This appointment has been
 
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conducted in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments guidance on appointments to public bodies.

HEALTH

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

The Minister of State, Department of Health (Ms Rosie Winterton): We have received the annual report and accounts of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency for 2003–04 which has been laid before Parliament today in accordance with the requirements of sections 5(2) and 5(3) of the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1921. Copies have also been placed in the Library.

Meat Hygiene Service

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Miss Melanie Johnson): The 2003–04 annual report and accounts for the Meat Hygiene Service was laid before Parliament today.

Copies will be placed in the Library, but formal printing and publication will not take place for another six to nine weeks, pending preparation of a version in the Welsh language, as required by the Welsh Language Act 1993.

Health and Social Care Standards

The Secretary of State for Health (Dr. John Reid): I am publishing today "National Standards, Local Action: Health and Social Care Standards and Planning Framework 2005–06—2007–08", incorporating "Standards for Better Health". This will support the national health service and social care in taking forward the agenda set out in the NHS improvement plan, setting out a framework for continuing quality improvement.

Much progress has already been made across the NHS. Waiting times are falling, mortality rates for the major diseases are down and there are more NHS staff treating NHS patients. The development of clinical governance, the establishment of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, the publication of National Service Frameworks and the establishment of independent inspectorates for health and for social care have set a framework for safe, high quality care. This is underpinned by "The NHS Improvement Plan" that sets out a programme for further progress and clear improvements in health outcomes and patient care.

"Standards for Better Health" and "National Standards, Local Action" together set out a new approach that will deliver this agenda, with reduced national targets underpinned by robust standards to drive up quality and safety. NHS patients are entitled to care that is safe and effective and "Standards for Better Health" sets out the standards all providers and commissioners of NHS care are expected to meet to deliver safe and effective care.
 
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The standards-driven approach set out in these two documents establishes an integrated framework for performance improvement, setting the parameters for

"Standards for Better Health" is published by the Secretary of State for Health under Section 46 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003. "Standards for Better Health" follows a formal consultation on draft proposals in the spring and defines standards covering the full spectrum of health care from public health through to acute care, which have been developed with two principal objectives. First, they include a set of core standards which provide a common set of requirements applying across all health care organisations to ensure that the health services that are provided are both safe and of an acceptable quality.

Secondly, there is a set of developmental standards providing a framework for continuous improvement in the overall quality of care people receive. Setting developmental standards in this way ensures that the extra resources being directed to the NHS are used to help raise the level of performance measurably year on year.

"Standards for Better Health" will apply with immediate effect to all health care organisations in England, including NHS foundation trusts. All those providing or commissioning NHS health care in England will have to take them into account when planning or commissioning health care services.

The Healthcare Commission will measure performance against the standards and progress against national and local targets developed in line with "National Standards, Local Action" into account in its annual reviews and assessments of health care by (and for) each NHS body in England, including NHS Foundation Trusts. By delivering on targets that relate directly to health care standards, NHS bodies will be able to demonstrate to the commission that they are performing well against those standards.

In "Standards for Better Health", for the first time the Government are setting out a comprehensive statement of the standards NHS bodies and providers of NHS care are expected to meet. "Standards for Better Health" will act as a key driver for quality improvement throughout the NHS, but one aim has been to clarify and to reduce the large number of requirements and standards that have (in the past) been set centrally, either directly from the Department itself or by its arms length bodies. Some of the Department's own standards and requirements are currently under review and the review of arms length bodies will provide an opportunity to change some of the requirements that they currently impose.

The development of the new high-level standards represents the first step toward simplifying and rationalising the expectations on the service. Taken alongside the reduced requirements in "National Standards, Local Action" this will give organisations greater flexibility for local innovation, underpinned by a strong focus on safe, effective health care and
 
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improvements in the outcomes that matter most for patients and service users driving forward the programme set out in the "NHS Improvement Plan".

Copies of "National Standards, Local Action" have been placed in the Library.

Health Service Bodies

The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. John Hutton): For the health service bodies listed as follows, their annual accounts and any accompanying Comptroller and Auditor General reports have today been laid before the House of Commons pursuant to section 98(1 C) of the National Health Service Act 1977. Copies have been placed in the Library:

National Health Service Pensions Agency

The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. John Hutton): I have approved the national health service pensions agency annual report and accounts for 2003–04, which have today been laid before the House of Commons in accordance with the requirements of Section 7 of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000.

Copies have been placed in the Library.

Medicines Commission and Medicines Act Advisory Bodies

The Minister of State, Department of Health (Ms Rosie Winterton): We have received the annual report of the Medicines Commission and Medicines Act advisory bodies for 2003, which has been laid before Parliament today in accordance with the requirements of section 5(2) of the Medicines Act 1968.

Bound volumes have been placed in the Library containing the 2003 reports of the Medicines Commission, the committee on Safety of Medicines, the advisory board on the registration of homoeopathic products, the British Pharmacopoeia Commission, the independent review panel on advertising, the independent panel for borderline products and the veterinary products committee.
 
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We are glad to acknowledge the valuable work done by the distinguished members of the Medicines Act advisory bodies and thank them for the time and effort dedicated in the public interest to this important work.

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