§ Mr. Sheerman:To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will take steps to ensure that regional variations in the provision of pain management services are tackled; [140676]
(2) what guidance is issued by strategic health authorities on the management of chronic pain in primary and secondary care; [140677]
(3) if he will ensure that the recommendations of the Clinical Standards Advisory Group report into pain services are fully implemented; [140679]
(4) if he will commission a review into provision of pain services, based upon the reforms undergone by the national health service since the Clinical Standards Advisory Group report in 2000; [140680]
(5) whether, in light of the Dr. Foster report, Adult Chronic Pain Management Services in the UK, he will reiterate the recommendations of the Clinical Services Advisory Group calling for closer links between local pain and primary care services; [140772]
(6) what action will be taken by his Department in the light of the Dr. Foster and Pain Society report, "Adult Chronic Pain Management Services in the UK". [140773]
§ Mr. Hutton:The Clinical Standards Advisory Group report showed that many national health service trusts had developed excellent services, but in some places more needed to be done to drive up standards. The report made recommendations to commissioners and trusts to review local provision of pain services, and how these might be improved. The Department welcomed the report, and expects commissioners and trusts to take these recommendations into account when they plan their service so that variations in provision is reduced and links with primary care trusts improved.
The Department encourages openness in the use of NHS performance information and welcomes independent scrutiny of this information, such as the Dr. Foster and Pain Society report on "Adult Chronic Pain Management Services in the UK". We are committed to making NHS performance information widely available to patients, carers and the public in an accessible and readily understandable format.
The Department has no plans to review the provision of pain services in the NHS or to reissue the Clinical Standards Advisory Group Report. The quality of the service should be monitored locally through the trust, primary care trust commissioners and strategic health authorities to ensure it is provided to meet the needs of the local population.