§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to introduce national standards for prosthetic, orthotic and wheelchair services and if he will make a statement. [71797]
Table 1: Number of nursing homes and private hospitals and clinics, 1997 to 2001. At 31 March Number Health Authority3 1997 1998 Year2 1999 2000 2001 Barking and Havering 18 22 23 24 24 Barnet 29 34 35 36 32 Bexley and Greenwich 19 29 28 24 23 Brent and Harrow 24 32 37 35 37 Bromley 35 34 29 29 29 Camden and Islington 14 14 17 18 17 Croydon 33 36 40 .. 38 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow 23 33 30 34 32 East London and The City 15 16 26 19 20 Enfield and Haringey 30 32 31 28 29 Hillingdon 13 12 13 14 15 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster 40 57 63 63 71 Kingston and Richmond 23 23 22 22 22 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 49 58 68 69 67 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 61 61 66 66 68 Redbridge and Waltham Forest 24 27 26 27 24 Source:
Department of Health annual returns
.. not available
2The number of homes in 1997 refers to the period 1 October 1996 to 31 March 1997
3Information on nursing homes is collected at the Health Authority rather than Local Authority level.
384W
Table 2: Number of residential care homes4, 5,1997 to 2001. At 31 March Number London Borough1 1997 1998 Year 1999 2000 2001 Barking and Dagenham 29 33 33 33 31 Barnet 112 130 127 132 126 Bexley 58 64 67 67 63 Brent 92 95 97 87 87 Bromley 112 100 107 107 99
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 23 July 2002]: We are currently working with multi professional groups in prosthetic and orthotic services and looking at ways of enhancing patient care through programmes such as the action on orthopaedics and the work of the prosthetic strategic supply group. We will consider in due course, whether any outcomes of this work can be issued as appropriate guidance to the National Health Service.
We are also working with the Modernisation Agency to improve wheelchair services and to spread best practice across the country. Several national groups, with an interest, have been working on standards for the wheelchair service. As the collaborative work progresses, we will review whether one such standard could he given Departmental endorsement.