§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidelines she has issued to general practitioner fundholders regarding the assessment of a patient's needs as medical or social; [22693]
(2) what guidelines she has issued to general practitioner fundholding practices regarding the maintenance of respite care provided by general practitioners. [22695]
§ Mr. MaloneThe explanatory booklet "General Practitioners and Caring for People", issued in October 1992, provided guidance for general practitioners on the implications of the community care reforms. In addition, HSG(95)8 sets out NHS responsibilities, including those of fundholding GPs for meeting continuing health care needs. Fundholding GPs do not purchase respite care other than through the total purchasing pilot projects, where fundholding GPs work in partnership with health authorities to purchase the full range of health care for their patients.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many general practitioner fundholders employed community psychiatric nurses in each of the last five years; [22845]
(2) how many general practitioner fundholders employed health visitors in each of the last five years; [22846]
(3) how many health visitors were employed by general practitioner fundholding practices in each of the last five years. [22847]
571W
§ Mr. MaloneNone. Fundholding general practitioners do not directly employ nurses providing these services. Fundholding general practitioners may contract for these services with an established national health service provider of community nursing services or with a provider of community mental health services.