HC Deb 25 April 1994 vol 242 cc66-7W
Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, by region of origin, the number of outstanding clinical grading appeals at(a) district, (b) regional and (c) national level; and if she will estimate the cost to date.

Mr. Sackville

The number of appeals outstanding has dropped from just over 20,000 at 31 May 1993 to below 4,800 at 1 April 1994. We welcome this reduction. The Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council has agreed a new appeals mechanism for clearing all outstanding appeals by the end of 1995. All appeals outstanding at regional and national level will be heard by a new central adjudication panel. Information on the number of appeals outstanding is shown in the table. No estimate of the cost has been made.

and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals on whether to launch high-profile publicity campaigns during the period leading up to the local government and European Parliament elections;

(3) what advice her Department or the national health service management executive has provided to chairmen and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals on whether controversial proposals should be included on agendas of health authority meetings during the local government and European elections;

(4) what advice her Department or the national health service management executive has provided to chairmen and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals on the circulation of information and answers to questions during the period of the local government elections and European elections; and if she will place that advice in the Library;

(5) what advice her Department or the national health service management executive has provided to chairmen and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals on how to deal with media inquiries during the period of local government elections and European elections; and if she will place that advice in the Library;

(6) if her Department or the national health service management executive will advise chairmen and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals that any lectures taking place in the period leading up to the local government and European elections should be confined to published facts and avoid speculation on future health policy;

(7) when her Department or the national health service management executive provided advice to chairmen and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals that, if they are uncertain about how to respond to requests from candidates, the media, or opposition spokespersons during the local government and European elections they should consult the NHS executive corporate affairs intelligence unit, head of news at the Department of Health or chief regional press officer;

(8) what advice her Department or the national health service management executive has provided to chairmen and chief executives of NHS trust hospitals on campaigning and canvassing on health authority property during the period of the local government elections and European elections; and if she will place that advice in the Library.

Dr. Mawhinney

The national health service executive issued EL(94)36, to remind NHS chief executives and general managers of the well-established principle that NHS staff should not be asked to engage in activities which could give rise to the criticism that people paid from public funds are being used for party political purposes and to give guidance on some specific issues. Similar guidance was issued before the last general election, in March 1992. Copies of EL(94)36 are available in the Library.

Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether it is her intention to require private companies operating contracts from NHS bodies to have established procedures covering freedom of speech;

(2) whether the guidance for staff on relations with the public and media is applicable to staff of private contractors operating under contracts with the NHS;

(3) whether the guidance for staff on relations with the public and media is applicable to staff employed under joint arrangements between health service bodies and local authorities or voluntary organisations.

Dr. Mawhinney

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 25 February,Official Report, column 525.