§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the sufficiency of local registration authorities' resources to monitor and inspect registered care homes and nursing homes and unregistered care homes and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Registered Homes Act 1984 gives local authorities responsibility for registering and inspecting private and voluntary residential care homes catering for four or more residents and district health authorities responsibility for the registration and inspection of all independent hospitals and nursing homes.
The scale of fees for registering and inspecting homes in the independent sector are fixed in regulations made under that Act and take into account the costs incurred by authorities nationally. In accordance with the proposals in the White Paper "Caring for People", social services authorities will be expected to inspect their own homes and the cost will be taken into account in the 1990 local authority settlement.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the sufficiency of the number of National Health Service nursing homes and social services part III homes to allow people a choice of private and public sector when considering residential or nursing care.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe White Paper "Caring for People" reaffirmed the Government's commitment to securing a wider range of options for people who need continual nursing or residential care. This includes NHS nurse-managed units, local authority homes, or nursing or residential care provided by the independent sector. It is for the statutory agencies involved to make an appropriate assessment of care needs which takes into account the views of the individual and his or her carer.
The National Health Service and Community Care Bill includes provisions for local authorities to draw up and publish their plans for community care. We will expect such plans to aim at an appropriate balance between public and private residential care and nursing home provision, in the light of local circumstances.