§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) health authority and (b) local authority inspection officers there are and how many of them have been matched to area manager positions in the National Care Standards Commission. [24185]
§ Jacqui Smith:[holding answer 19 December 2001]The number of inspectors who have been identified as eligible to transfer to the National Care Standards Commission is 1,192, of which 931 are from local authority units and 261 are from health authority units. No inspection officers were matched to area manager positions in the National Care Standards Commission. The area manager position is a new level of post, with no comparable equivalent in local authorities or health646W authorities. Posts were filled through a competitive recruitment exercise, with applications ringfenced to managers in the current 74 health authority, 123 local authority and 17 joint local and health authority registration and inspection units in England. 161 applications were received: 45 from health authority managers, 107 from local authority managers, and nine from managers of joint units. 15 applicants from health authority units were successful, compared with 54 from local authority units, and seven from joint health/local authority units.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what(a) consultation has been undertaken by and (b) formal guidance and information his Department and the National Care Standards Commission have provided to health authorities and local authorities regarding the implementation of arrangements for the transfer of staff to the NCSC. [24182]
§ Jacqui Smith:[holding answer 19 December 2001]The Department and the National Care Standards Commission have consulted widely over the summer of 2001 with staff in local authorities and health authorities who are eligible to transfer to the National Care Standards Commission, on the terms and conditions of employment, pay arrangements, and arrangements for assigning transferring staff to posts. Discussions have been held regularly with the trade unions (Royal College of Nursing, Unison, MSF, GMB), who have also consulted their members on proposals. Staff were invited to respond to the consultation exercises through a dedicated staff helpline, attendance at regional roadshows in July, or by correspondence directly to the Department or National Care Standards Commission. All staff eligible to transfer were issued with guidance on the assignment process on 24 August 2001.
The Department has issued guidance on the transitional arrangements, including movement of staff into National Care Standards Commission offices, in Health Service Circular HSC 2001/011: Local Authority Circular LAC (2001)16 "Transition Arrangements for the Creation of the National Care Standards Commission", issued on 15 May 2001.