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13 Oct 2005 : Column 603W—continued
Enzyme Disorders
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what services are available for children in the Province who suffer from enzyme disorders. [17596]
Mr. Woodward: Enzyme deficiency disorders result in a very wide spectrum of clinical consequences depending on the enzyme involved. Most of these disorders are rare and can be grouped under the heading of inherited metabolic disorders. There is a well established weekly clinic at the Royal Belfast hospital for sick children which cares for children with a wide variety of inherited metabolic disorders from all over Northern Ireland.
Equal Opportunities
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the findings of recent research into equality of opportunity in the Northern Ireland labour market to be published. [17599]
Angela E. Smith: It is intended to publish the findings of the labour market dynamics research project in November 2005.
Inquests
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many inquests are outstanding in Northern Ireland; and how many have been waiting more than (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) five years since the death occurred. [16568]
Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.
Each year in Northern Ireland approximately 3,600 deaths are reported to a coroner, of which approximately 7 per cent. result in an inquest.
At the end of September 2005 there were 142 cases outstanding in which a coroner had directed that an inquest will be held but where the inquest had yet to be completed. Of these cases:
There are, in addition, approximately 1,600 cases pending investigation, a number of which may involve an inquest but where the coroner has yet to direct whether an inquest will be held. The decision to hold an inquest is, in most categories of death, a judicial decision exercised by the coroner following an investigation including, in some cases, a post-mortem report.
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Interpreting Services
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from what budget funding for interpreting services at hospitals in the Province comes. [17594]
Mr. Woodward: Interpreting services were initially funded largely from executive programme funds. This funding ceased on 31 March 2005 and since then they have been funded from the totality of resources made available to my Department for the provision of health and social services.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what actions he is taking to ensure appropriate monitoring and evaluation of interpreting services at local hospitals. [17595]
Mr. Woodward: The Department has in place arrangements with trusts for monitoring the use of and demand for health and personal social services (HPSS) interpreting services including information on gaps in supply. The Department has also carried out an evaluation of a pilot project to set up an interpreting service for the HPSS. Taking account of the evaluation findings, the Department is now considering options for future arrangements for procuring interpreting services for the HPSS, including arrangements for monitoring and evaluating how well the interpreting services meet the growing and evolving need.
Medical Notes
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidelines exist in Northern Ireland on the period of time that medical notes must be retained. [17114]
Mr. Woodward: In December 2004 the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety issued guidelines entitled "Good Management, Good Records" for managing records in Health and Personal Social Services organisations in Northern Ireland. Various time periods are specified for different types of records.
Nurses
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of nurses who have left Northern Ireland to work in (a) North America, (b) Australia and (c) New Zealand in the last 12 months. [17119]
Mr. Woodward: During the year ended 31 March 2005 a total of 893 Nursing and Midwifery staff left the Northern Ireland Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS). This figure will include retirements and those who have left the NI HPSS, to join the NHS in England, Scotland or Wales. Information on the actual destination of leavers is not collected.
Private Health Care
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what inspections of private health care facilities take place in the Province. [17543]
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Mr. Woodward: Independent hospitals, clinics and medical agencies have been subject to registration and inspection by the Northern Ireland Health and Personal Social Services Regulation and Improvement Authority since 1 April 2005.
School Bus Services
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received on providing an early afternoon bus service for school children in the Southern Board area. [17602]
Angela E. Smith:
There have been a total of 78 representations from the following sources concerning the withdrawal of the early afternoon school transport service:
13 Oct 2005 : Column 606W
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Members of the public | 63 |
| School representatives | 3 |
| Members of Parliament | 2 |
| MLAs | 6 |
| District councils | 3 |
| Southern Board | 1 |
| Total | 78 |
This is a discretionary service which was provided by the Southern Education and Library Board. The Board reviewed its discretionary provision and, being the only Board to provide a full early afternoon service, it decided to reflect the same level of service availability in other Board areas.