§ Mr. Charles Irvingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he is satisfied that staff in National Health Service mental hospitals are able freely to complain about any ill-treatment of patients; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will amend the new health service complaints procedure (HC (81) 5) to include guidance to mental hospital staff on how to make complaints on behalf of patients;
(3) if he will issue a circular to district health authorities concerning the development of procedures for handling complaints made by mental hospital staff about standards of patient care and recommend that the details of the circular should be available to all staff;
(4) if he will issue a circular to district health authorities about the development of appeals procedures for the use of staff dissatisfied with the way that complaints on behalf of patients have been handled.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergI refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Price) on 27 November 1981.;[Vol. 13, c.507–8.]