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13 Sept 2004 : Column 1481W—continued
General Practitioners
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance is available to locum general practitioners on (a) sick leave and (b) maternity leave. [187765]
Angela Smith: A locum general practitioner who is on sick leave or maternity leave is entitled to the same range of social security benefits as any self employed person who pays class 2 national insurance contributions. This includes incapacity benefit and maternity benefit.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the (a) number of missed general practitioner appointments and (b) resultant costs in the Province in the latest year for which figures are available. [187769]
Angela Smith: This information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) contacts to and (b) domiciliary visits from each general practice out-of-hours service there were in the Province in each of the last five years. [187811]
Angela Smith: The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Hospital Hygiene
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to improve hygiene in local hospitals; and if he will make a statement. [187815]
Angela Smith:
All health and social services trusts in Northern Ireland have a duty to ensure that high standards of hygiene in hospitals are being met and maintained. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is placing a renewed emphasis on clean hospitals with the planned establishment of standards for cleanliness against which performance will be measured and improvements delivered.
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Hospital-acquired Infections
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate has been made of the cost of hospital-acquired infections in the Province in the last year for which figures are available. [187443]
Angela Smith: There are no figures or estimates available on the cost of hospital-acquired infections in Northern Ireland.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vancomycin-resistant enterococcus cases there were in the Province in each of the last five years. [187445]
Angela Smith: The information requested is set out in the following table.
| Number of reports | |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 0 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 6 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 (up to 31 August) | 1 |
Housing
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether discussions took place between representatives of the Housing Executive and local political parties over the future of the Protestant families who moved from the Torrens area of North Belfast in August. [188142]
Mr. Spellar: Yes. In the light of recent events the Housing Executive has continued to have discussions with the Democratic Unionist Party and the Progressive Unionist Party. The Housing Executive has also met with Sinn Fein (at its request) and briefed the Social Democratic and Labour Party. In recent years the residents of Torrens have been largely represented by the Democratic Unionist Party or Progressive Unionist Party. The Ulster Unionist Party has not initiated any discussions and has had no involvement with the Housing Executive in relation to Torrens for some time. The Housing Executive will continue to engage with local politicians over the future of the Torrens area.
Learning Disability Provision
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what improvements have been made in enhancing educational provision for those aged 16 years and over with moderate learning disability in the Province. [187776]
Mr. Gardiner:
Pupils with moderate learning difficulties, whether placed in an ordinary school, a special unit or a special school, generally leave school at the statutory school leaving age. In a small number of cases and depending on their special educational needs, they may remain in school beyond statutory school leaving age. Parents have a general right of appeal to the SEN Tribunal if they disagree with the boards decision to cease to maintain a statement at any time.
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Education and library boards (ELBs) are required, in conjunction with other relevant agencies, to draw up a transition plan for all pupils with statements of special educational needs (SENs) to set out appropriate post-school opportunities, including further education.
The Department of Education chairs an Inter-Departmental Working Group (IDG) that is looking at the transition of all young people with statements of special educational needs to adult life. The remit of this group does not extend to include consideration of post 16 educational provision in schools for MLD children, but rather to consider how to make strategic improvements in the transition process for young people with SENs on leaving school. The IDG is in the process of finalising an action plan, which will be produced in autumn 2004.
The educational and library boards' Regional Strategy Group for Special Education Needs has established a working party to look at the equality of provision post 16 for pupils in MLD schools across the five education and library boards. The group is considering a number of options and is working with the Department of Employment and Learning, who have responsibility for colleges of further education.
In addition the Department for Employment and Learning has put in place a range of initiatives and funding streams designed to promote access to post 16 provision by students with disabilities including those with moderate learning disabilities
Maternity Services
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which health trusts have expressed an interest in developing midwife-led maternity facilities. [187768]
Angela Smith: There is already a midwife-led unit adjacent to the consultant obstetric unit at Craigavon hospital. Similar midwife-led units are planned for a number of other hospital sites including the Altnagelvin, Ulster and Royal sites and the new hospital for the south-west.
In addition, on 29 July I announced my decision to allow the development of Community Midwifery Units (stand-alone midwife-led units) in Northern Ireland. My announcement has opened the way for Health and Social Services Boards and Trusts to consider the potential for establishing Community Midwifery Units as part of the wider implementation of Developing Better Services and the associated reconfiguration of hospital and other health services.
Mental Health
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on mental health (a) assertive outreach and (b) crisis response services in each of the last five years in the Province. [187771]
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Angela Smith: No funds were specifically allocated by health and social services boards for assertive outreach or crisis response services prior to 2001–02. Recent funding by health and social services board area is as follows:
Southern Health and Social Services Board
In 2002–03, the southern board allocated £220,000 to assertive outreach and £220,000 to crisis response services. This increased to £225,000 in 2003–04.
Northern Health and Social Services Board
In 2002–03, the northern board allocated £142,000 for assertive outreach services. In 2003–04, it allocated £759,000 for assertive outreach and £1,052,000 for crisis response. A further £612,000 was allocated non-specifically to develop both services.
Eastern Health and Social Services Board
No funds were specifically allocated for assertive outreach or crisis response services prior to 2003–04. In 2003–04, it allocated £112,000 to assertive outreach and £1,390,000 to crisis response services.
Western Health and Social Services Board
No funds were allocated prior to 2003–04. In 2003–04, the western board allocated £196,000 to crisis response services.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to develop (a) assertive outreach and (b) crisis response mental health services in the Province. [187772]
Angela Smith: Health and social services boards are currently developing both assertive outreach and crisis response mental services throughout Northern Ireland. An additional £3 million has been made available by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in 2004–05 to further develop these and other community services.
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