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Care Homes
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the extent to which the work of the Criminal Records Bureau and the Protection of Vulnerable Adults scheme, Skills for Care, Commission for Social Care Inspection and the General Social Care Council overlaps in relation to the regulation of care homes; whether she expects thereto be overlapping responsibilities following implementation of her Department's proposals for registration of care workers; and what plans she has to establish (a) a single body and (b) a single access point for the inspection and regulation of care homes and their staff. [80687]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), as the statutory regulator of care homes, has overall responsibility for registering, inspecting and regulating homes, including inspecting against national minimum standards and the Care Homes Regulations. It is the only organisation of those referred to which has statutory responsibility for the inspection and regulation of care homes.
As part of its inspection work, CSCI will ensure that the necessary Criminal Records Bureau and protection of vulnerable adults scheme checks on care home staff have been carried out and that staff and the registered provider are appropriately trained, which will include meeting requirements, such as the registration of care workers, laid down by bodies such as the General Social Care Council.
My right hon. Friend, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced, in his budget statement made on
16 March 2005 that CSCI and the Healthcare Commission will merge to
form a single inspectorate
for health and social care. The planned merger reflects increasingly
close collaboration on the ground between people working in these two
fields. It also reflects shared objectives for the highest possible
standards for everyone using these services. The merger is part of a
wider policy to improve regulation and help reduce the burden that it
can place on the frontline across health and social care. The intention
is that the merger will take place in 2008.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Compact with the voluntary sector applies to care homes. [79648]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: “The Compact on Relations between Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector in England” (the compact), first introduced in 1998, is the framework agreement for how the Government and the sector should work together. The compact is the agreement between Government and the voluntary and community sector in England to improve their relationship for mutual advantage. It applies to care homes in the voluntary sector only.
By building better relationships, the compact can help Government and the voluntary and community sector work better together for the communities they serve. It operates on a voluntary basis but commitment is strong:
at the national level, it applies to Departments, their executive agencies, Government offices for the regions, non-departmental public bodies and voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations; and
at the local level, local compacts adapt the national framework to suit local circumstances and are an important means to increase understanding between the public sector and the VCS. To date, 98 per cent. of local authority areas have local compacts agreed or being developed.
The Government are strongly committed to creating a framework in which the sector can continue to flourish, be strong and independent.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the average cost to care homes of mandatory regulation and inspection in the last period for which figures are available. [79675]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The cost to care homes of statutory regulation and inspection are contained in The Commission for Social Care Inspection (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) Regulations 2004, copies of which are available in the Library.
Chiropody
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has (a) to extend regulation of chiropodists and podiatrists to cover all foot health practitioners who use the techniques of chiropody and (b) to prevent foot health practitioners advertising their services as chiropody services. [81081]
Andy
Burnham [holding answer 29 June 2006]: Extension of
statutory regulation to groups not currently regulated is being
considered as part of a
review of regulation. We will publish our decisions on the outcome of
the review when ready. Under the Health Professions Order 2001, it is
an offence for anyone falsely to represent himself as registered by the
Health Professions Council in one of the professions regulated by them;
to use a title to which he is not entitled; falsely to represent
himself to possess qualifications in a relevant profession. The
relevant professions include chiropody and
podiatry.
Cochlear Implant Treatment
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) children and (b) adults were provided with cochlear implant treatment in (i) England and (ii) Scotland over the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [82295]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The number of children and adults who were provided with cochlear implants in England, per capita, between 2000-01 and 2004-05 is shown in the table. The figures for 2004-05 are the most recent available.
The Department does not collect data on health services in Scotland.
| All operations count of episodes (OPCS4 D24.1, D24.2) implantation of intra/extracochlear prosthesis national health service hospitals, England | |||
| Rate per 100,000 population | |||
| Children (aged up to 17) | Adults (aged 18 and over) | Total | |
| Estimated population estimates | |||
| Children (aged up to 17) | Adults (aged 18 and over) | Total | |
Consultants
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the companies which were paid consultancy fees by her Department in 2005-06; how much each was paid; and what each of the companies was used to accomplish. [69693]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department does not collect centrally information that would allow for the analysis requested and to obtain this information would incur disproportionate costs.
Correspondence
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost to her Department was of replying to a letter written (a) by an hon. Member and (b) by a member of the public in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down into (i) officials' time, (ii) cost of stationery and (iii) postage costs. [80485]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of departments in replying to Members/Peers correspondence. The report for 2005 was given in a written ministerial statement on 30 March 2006, Official Report, columns 76-78W.
The information requested is not recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
DHL/Novation
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she made of DHL/Novation's operations in the US, before awarding the company contracts to supply the NHS, with particular reference to US Justice Department investigations. [73192]
Andy Burnham: In relation to the outsourcing of NHS Logistics and related procurement activities the Department has looked into these allegations and, having taken legal advice, is satisfied that there is no reason to reconsider Novation's position.
Subject to the final negotiations, a contract will be awarded to DHL by the end of the summer. Novation will be a subcontractor to DHL and provide the procurement expertise and support to the enterprise.
Egg Imports (Salmonella)
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the possible risk to (a) domestic consumers and (b) customers of the catering industry arising from the consumption of hens’ eggs imported from countries with high levels of Salmonella infection in flocks; and if she will make a statement. [79206]
Caroline Flint: For all Grade A table eggs from any source, if they are handled, stored and cooked properly, there is very little risk to the consumer. Eggs from overseas only contribute to a small percentage of the United Kingdom egg market.
To assess the risk associated with such eggs, the Food Standard Agency (FSA) is carrying out a survey of eggs sourced from outside the UK and on retail sale in Britain. We have also been monitoring the levels of Salmonella in eggs being used in the catering trade. When these surveys are completed the FSA will have a better understanding of the risk associated with the presence of Salmonella in layer flocks. A recent European Union survey of layer flocks has highlighted those countries with high levels of Salmonella infection in flocks and of these only Spain is a significant exporter of eggs to the UK. Therefore, we are talking to the European Commission and with member states to see what further action can be taken, in the light of the results from the layer flock survey, that will further protect consumers.
Freedom of Information
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration is being given to designating private companies providing personal medical services through the alternative provider medical service arrangements as public authorities within the meaning of section 5 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [79260]
Mr.
Ivan Lewis: No consideration has been given to designating
private companies providing personal medical services through the
alternative provider
medical service arrangements as public authorities within the meaning of
section five of the Freedom of Information Act.
No bodies have been designated as public authorities by order under section five.
Health and Social Care Awards
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Health and Social Care awards are funded by her Department. [79625]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The awards are jointly funded by the Department and the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement.
These awards encourage and recognise good practice across the national health service and social care service. Awards winners are supported by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement to encourage the spread of good practice.
Infant Formula Regulations
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she plans to review the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations 1995; and if she will make a statement. [82289]
Caroline Flint: The Department intends to review later this year, in conjunction with the Food Standards Agency, the United Kingdom regulations on infant formula and follow-on formula advertising. This is in line with the commitment set out in the “Choosing Health—Making healthy choices easier White Paper”.
Legislation
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which private Member's Bills were drafted by her Department in each session since 1997; and which of those received Royal Assent. [77513]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Members will consider a range of possible subjects before introducing their private Members' Bills.
Government draftsmen do draft some Bills in advance which are available as one of the options for Members to consider before they make their selection.
However, Members may make subsequent amendments or revisions to a Government drafted Bill, or use it as the basis for a private Members’ Bill in the future.
Maternity Services
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department gives to (a) primary care and (b) hospital trusts on the level of provision of maternity wards; and if she will make a statement. [81776]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: It is for local primary care and hospital trusts to determine the appropriate level of provision of maternity services in their area.
The maternity standard of the national service framework for children, young people and maternity services sets out the Government's vision for women to have easy access to supportive, high quality maternity services, designed around their individual needs and those of their babies. It asks all national health service maternity care providers and primary care trusts to plan the provision of maternity services based on an up-to-date assessment of the needs of the local population and involving service users.
New Technologies
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the Department's budget was spent on researching new technologies in the last period for which figures are available. [76801]
Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment Relations (Jim Fitzpatrick) on Wednesday 21 June, Official Report, column 1882W.
NHS
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to ensure that no organisation which has been indicted or forced to repay the US taxpayer for fraud will be permitted to have a role in the NHS. [81341]
Andy Burnham [holding answer 29 June 2006]: In securing goods and services for the national health service, the Department is subject to all public procurement regulations when considering the letting of contracts. The rules compel the Department to advertise, negotiate and award any proposed contract in accordance with the legal procedure set out in the regulations. This will ensure that the process is open and honest, and upholds the integrity of the Department.
The regulations require that as part of the due diligence all participating organisations must complete a pre-qualification questionnaire to ensure that they are suitable to play a role in the NHS.
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