§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales which organisations he will be consulting regarding the issue of quality assurance in community care provision; and when he will announce the results of his deliberations.
§ Mr. GristThe Government's approach to quality assurance in the provision of community care services in204W Wales is set out in paragraphs 11.42 to 11.44 inclusive. of the White Paper "Caring for People: Community Care in the Next Decade and Beyond" (Cm 849).
A comprehensive range of interested bodies, including representatives of the independent sector and of users of services are being consulted about a proposed strategy for quality assurance throughout the National Health Service in Wales, and also on all aspects of the independent review of community care services in the light of the recently published report of the all-Wales advisory panel on services for people with mental handicaps. Consultation on the former has ended and we intend to issue the strategy for the NHS before the end of the year. Consultation on the all-Wales panel's report runs until 16 February, and we will announce our conclusions as soon as possible thereafter.