§ Ms PerhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 16 June 1998,Official Report, column 162, on home care services, what factors underlie the changes in each year in the numbers and percentage of adult households in England receiving home help/home care services in each category. [50438]
§ Ms JowellTrends in the provision of domiciliary care reflect the provisions of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990. One of the objectives of the Act was to focus services on those most in need.
Figures published in Statistical Bulletin "Community Care Statistics 1997 Day and domiciliary personal social services for Adults, England" (ref 1998/13), and summarised in the table, reflect the increased targeting. The table shows that the total number of contact hours has risen, as has the average number of hours spent with each household receiving the service, and the proportion of contact hours spent on more intensive packages of care has increased from 11 per cent. of total hours in 1992 to 28 per cent. in 1997.
of General Practitioners met Argentine healthcare experts in the UK in February and took part in a UK healthcare mission to Argentina, supported by the Department of Trade and Industry earlier this month.