§ Mr. Greg KnightTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many care assistants employed in care homes in England and Wales have Confirmed the death of a resident in the past 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement; [153481]
(2) whether it is his policy to encourage doctors to train care assistants to confirm deaths that occur in care homes; and if he will make a statement. [153444]
§ Dr. Ladyman[holding answer 11 February 2004]: Under the Care Homes Regulations and the Care Homes (Wales) Regulations care home providers are required without delay to notify the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) and the Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales (CSIW) respectively that a resident has died, including the circumstances of the death. In practice, a member of staff working in the home will notify the regulator. The NCSC and the CSIW do not collect information about which member of staff in a care home has notified them of the death of a resident.
The doctor who attended the resident during his or her last illness is responsible for certifying the cause of death. If a doctor feels unable to complete the death certificate the death is referred to the coroner for investigation.
Care home providers are responsible for ensuring that the staff working in care homes have qualifications suitable to the work they are to perform and the skills and experience necessary for such work. Providers are also expected to arrange appropriate training for their staff. We would expect this to include all aspects of dealing with the death of a resident.