§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 26 November,Official Report, columns 240–2, if she will list for each of the 13 research units which have been subject to peer review, the date of the site visit, whether the report of the review has now been discussed with the unit, whether a decision has been made about the future of the unit and the nature of the decisions which have been made.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe dates of site visits are shown in the table:
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Research Unit Site Visit Date Completed Childhood Cancer Research Group October 1991 Medical Care Research Unit October 1992 National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit June 1993 Social Medicine and Health Services Research Unit July 1993
Research Unit Site Visit Date Centre for Primary Care Research July 1993 Cancer Screening Evaluation Unit October 1993 National Institute for Social work October 1993 Clinical Operational Research Unit November 1993 Social Policy Research Unit January 1994 Thomas Coram Research Unit March 1994 Personal Social Services Research Unit April 1994 Dartington social Research Unit April 1994 Centre for Health Economics (planned for July 1994) With the exception of the centre for health economics, where the visit has yet to take place, the conclusion of the site visit teams are now being prepared.
Latest developments regarding some of the units visited early in the programme are as follows:
National Perinatal Epidemiology UnitAnnouncements have been made about the appointment of a new Director and the appointment process is currently in train.Centre for Primary Care ResearchWon a competitive tender for new Research Centre funding. I announced this on 21 February 1994.Social Medicine and Health Services Research UnitA new Director has been appointed and discussions are taking place about a new programme of work.Discussions are currently taking place with the directors of the cancer screening evaluation unit, the childhood cancer research group, the medical care research unit and the clinical operational research unit.
The remaining units work in personal social services. They were visited and reviewed later in the cycle of visits. In respect of the National Institute for Social Work, the report of the reviewing panel has been sent formally to the institute's director. The review team's report on the social policy research unit has also been completed and will shortly be sent formally to the unit's director. Reports on the remainder are nearing completion. Decisions on those units will be taken as soon as possible.