§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 12 March 2003,Official Report, column 343W, on mental health, what 326W involvement the National Patient Safety Agency has had in the last year with serious untoward incidents by mental health patients in mental health trusts. [106551]
§ Ms BlearsThe National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has already begun collecting and analysing key information on adverse events from local organisations, including reports from a number of mental health trusts, as well as from other sources.
Following on from piloting of the national reporting and learning system for adverse events in 28 hospitals and primary care units, the reporting system is undergoing further testing and development prior to being implemented across the national health service from summer 2003.
By collecting and analysing data on adverse events, the agency will be able to identify trends and patterns of avoidable adverse events, including those involving mental health patients, provide feedback to organisations to enable them to change their working practices, help develop models of good practice and systems solutions at national level and support ongoing education and learning.
The NPSA is also providing training and support to all trusts, to enable them to develop the skills to carry out root cause analysis investigations of serious incidents, such as suicides in mental health patients, to ensure that lessons are learnt.
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 12 March 2003,Official Report, column 343W, on mental health, how much funding was given to the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness this financial year; and if he will make a statement on the work of the group. [106552]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithThe funding given to the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide (CISH) in the financial year 2002–03 was £444,407. The CISH will publish academic papers based on the findings reported in 'Safety First' and maintain the collection of statistics on suicides and homicides by people with mental health problems across the United Kingdom, explore ways to provide feedback on findings and initiate new studies.