§ Mr. Andrew BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many continence advisers are currently employed by each local health authority in England and Wales; and in 1985;
(2) what plans he has to expand the continence advisory service in England and Wales;
(3) what steps he is taking to monitor the effectiveness of continence advisory services in health authorities in England and Wales.
§ Mr. NewtonI regret that statistics on the number of continence advisers employed by local health authorities are not collected centrally.
With regard to the expansion of continence advisory services, I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 26 January 1988 at column 192. The effectiveness of continence advisory services is not monitored directly. That is a responsibility of the management of the local health authority concerned.