§ Lord Teviotasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to assist the National Health Service as a service provider in implementing the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which come into force on 2 December.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege)Many National Health Service hospitals and36WA community trusts already meet some if not most of the provisions of the Act. We issued an Executive Letter [EL(96)70, copies of which have been placed in the Library, alerting the NHS to the implications of the Act. The NHS Executive will be holding two conferences early in 1997 for chief executives of trusts and their staff responsible for nursing and quality to identify the special needs that disabled people in hospital may have, to discuss how these may more effectively be met, and to develop strategies for raising awareness and facilitating a more understanding and positive attitude to disability. These conferences are being organised in consultation with disabled people and their organisations and will be opened by my honourable friend the Minister for Disabled People. The conferences will be followed up with the issue of good practice guidance.