§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will allow nurses and midwives greater discretion under the patients charter in the time scale for operating home visits where this is in the best interests of patients and carers; and if he will make a statement. [33666]
§ Mr. MaloneThe patients charter national standard on home visits by community nurses, health visitors and midwives has been set to provide a challenging but achievable level of service delivery which the national health service must aim to meet in all but exceptional cases. To weaken the standard would not be in the interests of patients.