30 Nov 2005 : Column 493W

Written Answers to Questions

Wednesday 30 November 2005

HEALTH

Ambulance Service

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact upon the Tees, Yorkshire and Humberside Ambulance Service of the recent reconfiguration. [30317]

Mr. Byrne: There has been no reconfiguration in this geographical area since the Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service National Health Service Trust was formed in 1999.

In order to deliver the benefits of the recent review of ambulance services, Taking Healthcare to the Patient: Transforming NHS Ambulance Services, ambulance trusts need to be of a size that enables investment in

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people and resources to underpin advanced services. We are therefore proposing that there should be fewer, bigger ambulance trusts and will be undertaking public consultation on these proposals this winter. These proposals will ensure resources are targeted at improving patient care and supporting front-line services.

Care Home Regulations 2001

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many care homes (a) exceeded, (b) met, (c) almost met and (d) failed to meet (i) the national minimum standard for complaints procedures and (ii) Regulation (A) 5 and (B) 6 of the Care Home Regulations 2001 in each of the last five years. [22378]

Mr. Byrne: I understand from the chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection, that data are collected on how care homes are meeting the national minimum standards. How care homes have met these standards is shown in the tables.

Regulations 5, 5A and 6 set out requirements on information to be provided to the service users. Regulation 22 sets out requirements for the complaints procedure. Compliance with these regulations is a legal condition that must be met in order for a home to be registered.
Care homes for older people

4-Exceeded Percentage 3-Met Percentage

2002–03

Standard 1- Information 198 2 2,199 24

Standard 2- Contract 92 1 4,442 48

Standard 16- Complaints 106 1 4,622 50

2003–04

Standard 1- Information 311 3 6,357 54

Standard 2- Contract 115 1 8,096 71

Standard l6- Complaints 154 1 9,038 77

2004–05

Standard 1- Information 219 2 6,573 61

Standard 2- Contract 65 1 7,601 74

Standard 16- Complaints 115 1 8,983 79

2- Almost met Percentage 1- Failed to meet Percentage

2002–03

Standard 1- Information 4,748 51 2,201 24

Standard 2- Contract 3,828 41 954 10

Standard 16- Complaints 3,850 41 754 8

2003–04 4,157 35 954 8

Standard 1- Information 2,667 23 548 5

Standard 2- Contract 2,199 19 398 3

Standard l6- Complaints

2004–05

Standard 1- Information 3,375 31 627 6

Standard 2- Contract 2,184 21 394 4

Standard 16- Complaints 1,963 17 282 2

Care homes for younger adults

4-Exceeded Percentage 3-Met Percentage

2002–2003

Standard 1-Information 116 2 1,010 15

Standard 5-Needs Assessment 51 1 2,235 34

Standard 22-Concerns and Complaints 78 1 3,074 46

2003–2004

Standard 1-Information 115 2 2,601 44

Standards 5-Needs Assessment 48 1 2,727 52

Standard 22-Concerns and Complaints 108 2 4,361 71

2004–2005

Standard 1-Information 83 2 2,042 57

Standard 5-Needs Assessment 20 1 1,950 62

Standard 22-Concerns and Complaints 57 1 3,420 79

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2 -Almost met Percentage 1-Failed to meet Percentage

2002–2003

Standard 1-Information 3,646 55 1,844 28

Standard 5-Needs Assessment 2,850 44 1,388 21

Standard 22-Concerns and Complaints 2,838 43 624 9

2003–2004

Standard 1-Information 2,567 43 647 11

Standards 5-Needs Assessment 1,891 36 618 12

Standard 22-Concerns and Complaints 1,415 23 224 4

2004–2005

Standard 1-Information 1,285 36 194 5

Standard 5-Needs Assessment 949 30 227 7

Standard 22—Concerns and Complaints 755 17 104 2

Note:
The total number of homes scored against standard 1 does not always match the total number of homes scored against Standard 2 and Standard 16 for each inspection year in the tables, as not all homes arc inspected against every standard.
Source:
Registration and Inspection (R&I) Database, 1 October 2005

	4-Exceeded	Percentage	3-Met	Percentage
2002–03
Standard 1- Information	198	2	2,199	24
Standard 2- Contract	92	1	4,442	48
Standard 16- Complaints	106	1	4,622	50

2003–04
Standard 1- Information	311	3	6,357	54
Standard 2- Contract	115	1	8,096	71
Standard l6- Complaints	154	1	9,038	77

2004–05
Standard 1- Information	219	2	6,573	61
Standard 2- Contract	65	1	7,601	74
Standard 16- Complaints	115	1	8,983	79

	2- Almost met	Percentage	1- Failed to meet	Percentage
2002–03
Standard 1- Information	4,748	51	2,201	24
Standard 2- Contract	3,828	41	954	10
Standard 16- Complaints	3,850	41	754	8

2003–04	4,157	35	954	8
Standard 1- Information	2,667	23	548	5
Standard 2- Contract	2,199	19	398	3
Standard l6- Complaints
2004–05
Standard 1- Information	3,375	31	627	6
Standard 2- Contract	2,184	21	394	4
Standard 16- Complaints	1,963	17	282	2

	4-Exceeded	Percentage	3-Met	Percentage
2002–2003
Standard 1-Information	116	2	1,010	15
Standard 5-Needs Assessment	51	1	2,235	34
Standard 22-Concerns and Complaints	78	1	3,074	46
2003–2004
Standard 1-Information	115	2	2,601	44
Standards 5-Needs Assessment	48	1	2,727	52
Standard 22-Concerns and Complaints	108	2	4,361	71

2004–2005
Standard 1-Information	83	2	2,042	57
Standard 5-Needs Assessment	20	1	1,950	62
Standard 22-Concerns and Complaints	57	1	3,420	79

	2 -Almost met	Percentage	1-Failed to meet	Percentage
2002–2003
Standard 1-Information	3,646	55	1,844	28
Standard 5-Needs Assessment	2,850	44	1,388	21
Standard 22-Concerns and Complaints	2,838	43	624	9

2003–2004
Standard 1-Information	2,567	43	647	11
Standards 5-Needs Assessment	1,891	36	618	12
Standard 22-Concerns and Complaints	1,415	23	224	4

2004–2005
Standard 1-Information	1,285	36	194	5
Standard 5-Needs Assessment	949	30	227	7
Standard 22—Concerns and Complaints	755	17	104	2

Childhood Vaccinations

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with (a) the Joint Committee on vaccinations and immunisations and (b) other interested parties on whether to extend the routine childhood vaccination programme to include immunisation against pneumococcal disease. [28706]

Caroline Flint: The Joint Committee on vaccinations and immunisations provided advice on a proposed childhood pneumococcal vaccination schedule at their meeting in October 2005. This advice is currently being considered by the Department.

Consultants

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms are in place to assess the effectiveness of consultant-led projects in her Department; what sanctions are available to penalise consultants who run unsuccessful projects; how many projects conducted by consultants were assessed as unsuccessful in each year since 2000; and what sanctions were imposed in each case. [29071]

Jane Kennedy: The Office of Government Commerce's Gateway process provides assurance at critical stages of a programme's or project's lifecycle and is applicable to programmes and projects managed by both internal and external resources.

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The information requested in relation to individual projects is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Department takes to ensure that consultancies do not claim excessive expenses while working for her Department and its agencies. [29072]

Jane Kennedy: In order to prevent excessive expenses being claimed, the Department either includes them as part of the total work contract or allows them to be claimed in line with departmental guidelines.

Departmental Staff

Mr. Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who the Director of Finance is of her Department; what specialist finance qualifications he or she holds; and what the details are of his or her career to date. [26322]

Mr. Byrne: The finance director is Richard Douglas. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. In summary his career history is:

Department of Health Finance Director since 2001

National Savings Finance Director 1999–2001

NHS Executive Deputy Director of Finance 1996–1999

National Audit Office Director 1994–96

National Audit Office 1980–1994

HM Customs and Excise 1978–1980

30 Nov 2005 : Column 497W

Hepatitis

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government have set targets for the diagnosis of hepatitis (a) B and (b) C on an annual basis. [30845]

Caroline Flint: There are no national targets for the diagnosis of hepatitis B or C. In the Hepatitis C Action Plan for England, there are two national outcome indicators intended to track increased testing. Both these indicators, drawn from epidemiological surveillance by the Health Protection Agency, should increase the proportion of those attending treatment and support agencies for injecting drug users who are aware of their hepatitis C infection and the total number of laboratory confirmed hepatitis C infection reports.

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