Hansard - United Kingdom Parliament

57W
Written Answers
20 JUNE 2011
Written Answers
58W
Further details about how the fractions are applied to
hospital episode data can be found in the report “NI39
technical guide”, available at:
www.nwph.net/alcohol/lape/nationalindicator.htm
Ambulance Services: Standards
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State
for Health whether he plans to bring forward proposals
to improve response times of ambulances in
metropolitan cities. [59966]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has examined the
whole area of targets, including those in the ambulance
service, to put patient safety, experience and outcomes
at the centre of the national health service. Plans to
strengthen the Category A (immediately life-threatening),
eight-minute response time target are currently being
considered, but there are no separate plans to centrally
review response times for ambulances in metropolitan
cities. Each trust must ensure and be able to demonstrate
that it has regard to the reasonable needs of persons in
the whole of the area to which the trust must ordinarily
provide goods and services.
Care Homes
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for
Health if he will estimate the likely change in the level
of preventable deaths resulting from vulnerable people
being moved out of residential care to which they are
accustomed. [60065]
Paul Burstow: The Department appreciates that it
can be traumatic for some frail, older or vulnerable
people if they have to be moved from residential care
homes, which have become their true homes.
The decision to close a care home is taken either by
the local council or, if it is an independent home, the
proprietor(s). The Department is concerned that any
decision to close a home should be dealt with as sensitively
and appropriately as possible. It is essential that proper
arrangements are made for the safe and satisfactory
transfer of residents to other suitable homes.
Residents and their families should be fully involved
in and consulted during the process. Adequate time
should be allowed, so that residents and their relatives
can make decisions and arrangements in a way that
minimises stress.
Local authorities are experienced at moving care
home residents and understand that any such moves
should be well planned and sensitively carried out. The
Mental Capacity Act requires that, where a vulnerable
person lacks capacity and has no family involved in
their care, Independent Mental Capacity Advocate should
be appointed to represent their interests.
On 8 June, the university of Birmingham published a
guide on care home closures, entitled “Achieving closure:
Good practice in supporting older people during residential
care closures”. The report was commissioned by the
Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and
has gone to every focal authority in England. It is
available on the university of Birmingham website at:
www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/latest/2011/06/08June
CareReport.aspx
Where a move is carried out well, the Department
expects that there should be no preventable deaths.
Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health
what responsibility NHS commissioners have for the
care of vulnerable clients placed into care services.
[60158]
Paul Burstow: National health service commissioners
are responsible for including in the contracts they make
with providers terms to ensure that high quality services
are delivered for patients and that value is delivered for
the taxpayer. They are also responsible for making sure
that providers are registered with the Care Quality
Commission.
Care Homes: Standards
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State
for Health if he will assess the effectiveness of the Care
Quality Commission in regulating the standard of care
homes; and if he will make a statement. [59967]
Paul Burstow: The Department monitors the Care
Quality Commission’s (CQC’s) financial and operational
performance and risks through regular formal
accountability meetings. Regular meetings are also held
between both Ministers and the Permanent Secretary
and chief executive of the national health service and
the chair and chief executive of the CQC, as well as
meetings at officials’ level.
The CQC is responsible for assessing and ensuring
the quality of its inspection and monitoring of specific
providers on a day to day basis. The CQC’s annual
accounts and annual report are laid before Parliament
and it is publicly accountable through parliamentary
scrutiny, including Select Committees.
To ensure the social care system of the future is fit for
purpose, the forthcoming social care White Paper will
explore the place of regulation alongside other mechanisms
in driving quality improvement in social care. This will
include a discussion of the opportunities presented to
refine and strengthen the CQC’s role as a quality
inspectorate in this new system.
Care Quality Commission: Finance
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State
for Health what recent representations he has received
on the provision of funding for the Care Quality
Commission. [60770]
Mr Simon Burns: The Care Quality Commission
(CQC) has a budget settlement for 2011-12 that has
been agreed with the Department. The CQC’s financial
position is kept under constant review during the financial
year and Ministers and officials meet with the CQC on
a regular basis. Funding is discussed as necessary.
The CQC made representations to the Department
regarding the provision of funding as part of the 2011-12
budget setting process.
The hon. Member for Leeds North East (Fabian
Hamilton) has asked a written parliamentary question
on the subject.