§ Mr. CarttissTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when the consultation document on independent inspection units promised in the White Paper "Caring for People" will be published.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyA consultation paper amplifying the proposal made in the White Paper that
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Number of mentions of sudden infant death syndrome1 on death certificates for all ages, England and Wales, by year and month of registration, 1971–88 Comparable data for earlier years are not available
Year January Feburary March April May June July August September October November December Total 1971 43 51 54 37 30 50 46 39 58 42 47 27 524 1972 77 78 74 64 73 53 47 47 50 82 73 80 798 1973 93 88 93 63 81 72 49 57 58 93 94 110 951 1974 130 87 101 76 71 54 65 48 46 86 95 106 965 1975 86 90 99 85 68 68 60 53 65 69 102 84 929 1976 104 100 72 83 70 55 42 37 56 88 83 117 907 1977 125 91 89 84 86 59 37 45 48 70 89 114 937 1978 109 106 103 73 82 56 65 50 56 87 86 122 995 1979 138 121 114 103 75 67 56 50 49 87 121 118 1,099 1980 158 127 113 119 91 55 77 65 74 106 120 155 1,260 1981 140 129 152 111 91 81 65 45 56 106 133 195 1,304 1982 194 145 153 100 83 72 75 39 75 109 134 196 1,375 1983 142 175 154 98 116 81 65 55 81 86 154 151 1,358 1984 174 171 172 122 67 86 52 46 68 122 101 104 1,285 1985 166 123 113 132 112 65 70 54 67 120 147 169 1,338 local authorities should set up independent inspection units has been sent to organisations representing local authority, independent sector and user interests today. Their comments have been invited. Copies of the paper have been placed in the Library.
Inspection units will form an integral part of the arrangements for securing and safeguarding the quality of community care services. They will have a special responsibility for supporting and monitoring those who provide residential care, both in local authority homes and in the independent sector. Their establishment will be entirely separate from the line management of local authority homes.
These proposals have already been welcomed. They will put providers of services in the public and independent sectors on the same footing and, through the setting up of local advisory committees, they will involve providers and users in running the system. This should not only foster good will, but increase the effectiveness of the quality control process and public confidence in it.