HC Deb 16 November 1989 vol 160 cc420-1W
Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the quality assurance activities introduced by the chief executive of the National Health Service management executive will measure rehabilitation services in hospital and after discharge for(a) patients who have undergone surgery, (b) patients who have suffered a disability or disabling illness, including cerebral vascular accident and (c) patients with long-term chronic disabilities or conditions such as arthritis or Parkinson's disease.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The guidance issued by the chief executive in his letter of 22 June asked health authorities to develop systematic unit-based quality review programmes for all the services for which they are responsible. It will be for individual units to determine how they assess the effectiveness of particular services within their quality programmes.

Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance will be used under the quality assurance activities introduced in the National Health Service in June(a) to measure quality of long-stay care, (b) to provide information to patients and (c) to assess patients' satisfaction.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The guidance issued to the Health Service in June stressed the importance of health authorities having good quality information leaflets and regularly testing the views of patients about their local health services. It also emphasised the need for quality assurance programmes to be applied to all services and activities. We shall issue further guidance on these issues as necessary.

Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the quality assurance activities introduced in the National Health Service in June will cover long-stay care.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The quality assurance programmes which health authorities are preparing in response to the chief executive's letter of 22 June are expected to cover all services for which they are responsible.