Residential Homes (Hansard, 15 March 1991)

§ Mrs. Heal
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that before patients are discharged to private sector residential or nursing homes the financial consequences and the right of patients to choose to remain in the care of the national health service are explained and that patients and their relatives are not unreasonably pressured to leave national health service care.

§ Mr. Dorrell
The booklet of good practice guidance accompanying circular HC(89)5, "Discharge of Patients from Hospital", a copy of which is available in the Library, stated that arrangements for discharge to alternative care should be made in good time and be acceptable to patients and/or their carers. Information should be given in writing before the transfer as to whether the health authority would pay the fees under a contractual arrangement. No national health service patient should be placed in a private nursing or residential care home against his or her wishes if that means that he or she or a relative will be personally responsible for the home's charges. At the same time, authorities are not expected to keep patients in hospital when there is no clinical need to do so.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research has been carried out into the proportion 703W of residents in (a) local authority homes, (b) voluntary homes, (c) private residential homes, (d) private nursing homes and (e) private homes with joint registration who have been drawn from the immediate locality of the home concerned;
(2) what research he has undertaken into the client satisfaction of residents of care homes;
(3) what research he has undertaken into life expectancy in respect of inmates of residential care homes.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
The Department has funded research projects on various aspects of the residential care and nursing home sectors over the past five years at a number of universities, notably at the personal social services research unit, University of Kent and the social policy research unit and centre for health economic, University of York. A project by the Policy Studies Institute, funded by the Department, on "Services for Elderly People—Choice, Participation and Satisfaction" is due for completion this summer.
We are not aware of research bearing directly on life expectancy of residents in homes or on the proportion of residents drawn from the immediate locality.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has as to the number of different codes of practice published by organisations or associations of care home managers or owners recognised by his Department.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
The Department has endorsed the working party report, "Home Life", published in 1984, a copy of which is available in the Library.
Information about codes of practice published by the various care home associations is not collected routinely by the Department.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given by his Department as to the maximum number of residents who are relatives of a private care or nursing home owner or staff member and in receipt of board, accommodation and personal care, who are permitted to reside in the home concerned in the part of the building which is registered over and above the number of beds for which the home is registered.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
None. Part I of the Registered Homes Act 1984 requires that adequate accommodation is provided for the residents of residential care homes. If relatives of the proprietor or staff of a home are accommodated, the accommodation available for use by other residents must continue to meet their needs. Part II of the Registered Homes Act requires that sufficient and suitable accommodation and services are provided to any patient in a nursing home.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by each registration authority the number of registered homes in the following categories(a) local authority homes, (b) voluntary homes, (c) private residential homes, (d) private nursing homes and (e) private homes with joint registration; and how many of these homes were purpose built.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
Information about the number of residential care homes by registration authority is contained in table 1 of "Residential Accommodation for704W Elderly People and Younger Physically Handicapped People: All Residents in Local Authority, Voluntary and Private Homes Year Ending 31 March 1989 England" and, "Residential Accommodation for Mentally Ill and Mentally Handicapped People: Number of Local Authority, Voluntary and Private Homes and Places at 31 March 1989 England". Copies are in the Library.
Information about the number of private nursing homes and dual registered homes by registration authority is contained in, "Private Hospitals, Homes and Clinics Registered Under Section 23 of the Registered Homes Act 1984, Annual Summary Booklet 1988/89", which is also in the Library.
Information about the number of homes that are purpose built is not collected centrally.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list which organisations or associations of care home managers or owners are recognised by his Department.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
The Department does not accord a preferential status or recognition to any particular care home organisations or associations.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given to registration authorities with regard to the provision of written details of terms and conditions of care provision to residents in care and nursing homes.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
"Home Life—a code of practice for residential care", which has been endorsed by the Department and commended to registration authorities, a copy of which is available in the Library, recommends that residents should be given a written statement of the terms on which accommodation is being offered before their admission to a residential care home.
We expect further guidance to be developed as part of the Department's caring in homes initiative.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he gives to registration authorities with regard to the obligations of old and new owners of private care of nursing homes on their sale or transfer.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
The Residential Care Home Regulations 1984 require a person registered in respect of a residential care home to notify the next of kin of any intention to terminate the arrangements for the accommodation of a resident. The code of practice "Home Life", a copy of which is available in the Library, also recommends that residents are directly advised of any change of owner. New owners must seek registration under the Registered Homes Act 1984.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given to registration authorities with regard to the contents of complaints procedures within private or voluntary residential or nursing homes.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
The Residential Care Home Regulations 1984 require registered persons to advise residents of residential care homes in writing of their internal complaints procedures and also of the name and address of the registration authority to whom complaints may be directed. They must also ensure that complaints are fully investigated. The code of practice, "Home Life", a copy of which is available in the Library, suggests that 705W complaints may cover any subject and that their handling should be recorded. The National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts handbook on registration and inspection of nursing homes gives specific advice about handling complaints.