§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) from which budget the provision of incontinence pads will come; and which profession will be responsible for the provision of incontinence advice and supplies, following the reorganisation of the National Health Service;
(2) if his Department is carrying out research into the development of minimum standards for incontinence pads, including the microbiological aspect of pads;
(3) what representations he has received on the delivery of incontinence advice and the provision of incontinence pads; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanThe provision of incontinence services will not be altered by the National Health Service and Community Care Bill. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Minister for Health gave my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 8 March 1990 at columns823-24.
The Department is funding an evaluation project at St. Pancras hospital, London, including microbiological examination of reusable pads after laundering, which will not be completed until the end of March 1991. The project is looking into all four categories of incontinence pads. One of the aims of the project is to provide basic information which will be used by the British Standards Institution and the International Standards Organisation in the development of standards.
We receive representations on the provision of incontinence pads occasionally, but have received no representations on the delivery of incontinence advice. The Department has funded a number of projects designed to promote awareness of the problems of incontinence.