§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many established posts for consultants exist for the care and treatment of the younger chronic sick and disabled within the National Health Service;
- (2) how many consultants undertake the responsibility for care and treatment of the younger chronic sick and disabled as part of other duties; and in which specialties they are normally employed;
142 - (3)how many nurses are employed in hospital unit:, for the younger chronic sick and disabled; and if he will provide details of their grades and ages;
- (4)what guidance is issued by his Department to regional health authorities for staffing ratios in units for the younger chronic sick and disabled; and on what criteria the guidance is issued;
- (5)how many people are presently on a waiting list for admission to either a unit for the younger chronic sick and disabled, managed by the National Health Service, or to part III accommodation;
- (6)how many patients are presently being sponsored for care in voluntary homes which offer contractual arrangements for the care of the younger chronic sick and disabled to the National Health Service;
- (7)what have been the rates of admission and discharge to units for the younger chronic sick and disabled over each of the last five years;
- (8)which area health authorities have included within their development programmes the building of units for the younger chronic sick and disabled over the last five years; and how many of such units have been built and staffed;
- (9)how many regional health authorities have issued reminders to area health authorities of the need to consider the need for the development of facilities for the younger chronic sick and disabled;
- (10)how many health authorities have closed beds for the younger chronic sick and disabled in each of the last three years; and to what extent these closures have been the result of expenditure cuts;
- (11)what joint training arrangements exist between nursing and social work staff for care of the younger chronic sick and disabled.
§ Mr. RossiYounger physically disabled and chronically sick people are treated and cared for in many different ways by various professionals and consultants from a variety of specialties. The facilities in the younger disabled units are being used in an increasingly flexible manner to promote maximum independence and to assist people, to remain in the community wherever possible. Consequently operational policies vary and these affect the length of waiting lists and rate of discharges in different locations.
Much of the information requested by the right hon. Member is not available centrally, but I have set out below the main relevant data and would also refer him to "Hospital Statistics"—form SH3 EDP 4, 5 and 6—"Regional and National Summaries" for 198(1, a copy of which I have placed in the Library.
I shall be writing to the right hon. Member.
143W
TABLE A Number of Patients on In-patient Waiting List at 31 March 1981 in England for Admission to Younger Disabled Units Number Urgent All cases 31 Cases on list for more than one month 28 Non-urgent All cases 349 Cases on list for more than one year 89 Total all cases 380
TABLE B year Discharges and deaths Waiting list on 31 December 1976 2,261 218 1977 2,572 227 1978 3,381 202 1979 3,660 285 1980 4,383 348
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many units for the younger chronic sick and disabled have been visited by the Health Advisory Service over the last year.
§ Mr. RossiThe activities of the Health Advisory Service have been concentrated on services for the mentally ill and elderly over the last year.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many units for the younger chronic sick and disabled have been built with the use of joint funding money in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. RossiThe establishment of younger disabled units which are an intrinsic part of health service provision would not be an appropriate use of these funds and would not meet the criteria we have laid down for their use.