§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many dwellings were(a) started, (b) under construction and (c) completed in (i) 1974, (ii) 1979, (iii) 1984, (iv) 1989 and (v) 1990, distinguishing between private sector, housing association, local authority and total dwellings.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesThe information is given in the table.
In deciding their choice of provider units, health authorities and general practitioner fund holders will consider the quality of services provided, their cost and their volume.
Commissioners will consider a range of quality indicators, including outcome measures where they are available. Crude death rates by hospital are extremely misleading when taken in isolation. Even when the rates are standardised by age, sex and case mix, there may be other factors which make direct comparison inappropriate. Information on death rates by social condition is not generally available and standardisation by age alone would lead to misleading comparisons.
However, there are a number of activities taking place which critically examine death rates following surgery within a hospital, including the procedures for postmortems, medical audit and the national confidential inquiry into perioperative deaths.
No specific guidance to health authorities and national health service trusts has been issued, or is proposed, on variations in death rates. I have not held discussions with health authorities and national health service trusts on the matter.
Health authorities and national health service trusts are encouraged to develop and make the maximum use of quality indicators and other information available.
League tables on hospital performance, based around patients charter standards, will be published in 1994. I have not received any representations on the inclusion of death rates in hospital league tables.
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