§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (I) what complaints have been received by the professional conduct committee of the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting on allegations of poor nursing practice and negligence in each year since 1979;
(2) how many of the complaints of poor nursing practice and negligence brought to the attention of the professional health conduct committee of the Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting have been settled by mutual agreement without conducting a hearing in each year since 1979;
(3) what has been the cost to his Department of the settling of cases of complaints of poor nursing practice and negligence brought to the attention of the professional conduct committee of the Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting but which were settled by mutual agreement without conducting a hearing in each year since 1979;
(4) what assessment has been made by his Department of the proportions of cases of allegations of poor nursing practice and negligence brought to the attention of the professional conduct committee of the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting which arise from instances of low staffing levels and low morale.
§ Mr. NewtonThe work of the professional conduct committee is the responsibility of the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC) which was formally established in 1983. I understand from the council that most of the information sought is not available in the form requested.
It is the committee's function to determine the outcome of the cases brought before it. None are settled by mutual agreement and there is no cost to the Department. Information on the work of the professional conduct committee may be found in the annual report of the UKCC which is in the Library.