§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the meaning of accredited training in relation to Minimum Standard 9.7 for homes for older people and Minimum Standard 20.10 for homes for younger adults. [70314]
§ Jacqui SmithThe administration of medication within care homes is a major responsibility and should not be undertaken lightly, since inappropriate administration could result in harm or, in some instances, the death of a service user. In this respect care home providers, therefore, must ensure that any staff who are charged with the responsibility to administer medication must fully understand the seriousness of this task, are trained in safe practices, and also have some awareness of the side effects of drugs on service users. The Commission is currently considering what forms of accredited training would be acceptable, but in the first instance, would suggest that training supplied by local pharmacists and community nurses would be acceptable.
§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will issue guidance to determine what constitutes regular contact with service users in respect of Care Home Regulations; [70318]
(2) if he will list the occupational groups the members of which will be considered as persons having regular contact with service users in connection with the Care Home Regulations; and if he will make a statement. [70319]
§ Jacqui SmithThe National Care Standards Commission takes 'regular contact with residents' to mean where a member of staff employed by the care home routinely interacts with residents on a one-to-one basis as part of their employment. This interaction may be restricted to talking to residents, but generally the commission will take it to mean where an individual is1090W providing specific forms of care to a resident, such as personal care, nursing care, counselling and general support.
The staff having regular contact with residents will also vary from home to home. A range of internal and external people are likely to have regular contact with residents. This could include care staff, ancillary workers, volunteers and management staff, social workers and specialist health care professionals.
§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) for what reasons the Care Home Regulations make no reference to a requirement for a business and financial plan as specified in the National Minimum Standard for homes for older people 34.5; [70317]
(2) what must be contained in a business and financial plan as specified in National Minimum Standard for older people 34.5. [70316]
§ Jacqui SmithThe care homes regulations and the national standards are related but they are not the same. There are, therefore, differences in the language and level of detail they contain. The regulations set out in general terms mandatory requirements with which care homes must comply. The national standards are an assessment tool which the commission must take into account when it makes a decision about whether a care home conforms to the regulations. However, the commission may also take into account any other factors it considers reasonable or relevant to do so. The regulations do not, therefore, specifically refer to business and financial plans.
The regulations and standards do not specify what must be contained in a care home's business and financial plans. In deciding whether a care home's business and financial plans conform to the requirements, the commission will need to satisfy itself that they contain sufficient information to ensure that service users are safeguarded by the accounting and financial procedures of the home.