HC Deb 12 March 2002 vol 381 cc1005-6W
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures of performance he uses to judge the quality of care in accident and emergency departments. [27716]

Ms Blears

I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.

The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) review teams follow patients' pathways of care when undertaking clinical governance reviews of national health service trusts. Accident and emergency (A&E) departments are frequently included as a key element of a pathway of care.

The review teams both interview A&E staff and observe A&E departments in order to examine how patients are cared for during their stay. Elements frequently reported on are issues about the quality of the environment, the maintenance of confidentiality, the provision of privacy which promotes dignity, the flow of care, including waiting times and how the department relates to other services.

All CHI reports highlight both notable practice and issues that require the organisation's action. All action issues are followed up utilising the trust's own action plan, which like the report is published.

In addition, the Government measure waiting times in A&E. Data on waits for admission post decision to admit are published quarterly. The NHS Plan set a new target for A&E, to reduce the maximum wait in A&E from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge to four hours by 2004. In line with this target, from August 2001, data on total time in A&E from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge have been collected. These data show that the NHS is currently on track to meet this target with 77 per cent. of A&E attenders spending four hours or less in A&E.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were required to work on Sundays in accident and emergency departments in each year between 1990 and 2000. [30938]

Ms Blears

The information requested is not collected centrally.

Staffing of accident and emergency departments is a matter for the national health service locally.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average number of trolley bays is per thousand patients seen in accident and emergency departments in England. [36891]

Ms Blears

I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.

Information on the number of trolley bays in accident and emergency departments is not collected centrally. In the year 2000–01 there were 12,953,000 attendances at accident and emergency departments in England.