§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the number of complaints concerning inadequate care in hospitals in the last year. [6175]
§ Mr. WorthingtonThe information is not centrally available in the form requested. Information on complaints to HSS Trusts in Northern Ireland is collected by Programme of Care. Of the total number of 3,188 complaints to HSS in Northern Ireland in the year 1996–97, 1,508 were in the Acute Programme of Care and 224 were in the Maternity and Child Health Programme of Care, the two Programmes of Care which are most strongly associated with hospital based rather than community-based care.