§ Mr. PondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the merits of recording incidents of(a) Erb's palsy and (b) brachial plexus injuries. [5009]
§ Ms JowellErb's palsy and brachial plexus injuries are, fortunately, rare occurrences. Most babies with Erb's palsy recover spontaneously within a few months. We will continue to support initiatives by the professional organisations which aim to minimise the risk of Erb's palsy and brachial plexus injuries. Professionals providing maternity care should monitor the incidence of such cases. The Government believes local monitoring is the best approach and the collection of information centrally would not assist in preventing occurrences.