HC Deb 26 May 1994 vol 244 cc299-300W
Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specific form of compensation or redress is available under the provisions of the patients charter to(a) out-patients who have not been seen within specific appointment times and (b) patients for whom an operation is postponed twice, and yet are still not admitted within one month of the date of the second cancelled operation.

Dr. Mawhinney

Patients should be kept informed about the reasons for any delays or postponements in their treatment. A suitable apology should be offered in appropriate cases.

Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals have adopted a policy of admitting a patient(a) within one month of the cancellation of an operation and (b) within two months of a second cancelled operation.

Dr. Mawhinney

All hospitals are implementing the policy reflected in the improved patients charter national standard which came into effect on 1 April 1994.

Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many FHSA and general practitioner charters have now been issued; and if she will list them.

Dr. Mawhinney

Every family health services authority has issued a charter and information from purchasers indicates that 38 per cent. of general practitioners practices have issued or are planning to issue a charter. The names of the individual general practices with charters are not available centrally.