§ Mr. MooreTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many whole-time equivalent NHS consultants there are in post in occupational health, and how many of these are (i) full and (ii) part-time in(a) each health board and (b) Scotland. [51110]
558W
§ Mr. GalbraithThe information requested is shown in the table.
Consultants in Occupational Health; by health board area and contract type: at 30 September 1997 Whole time equivalent Total Whole time Maximum part-time Part-time Honorary Scotland 11.1 8.0 1.0 0.8 1.3 Argyll and Clyde 1.0 1.0 — — — Fife 1.6 — 1.0 0.6 — Forth Valley 1.0 1.0 — — — Greater Glasgow 3.0 3.0 — — — Lanarkshire 1.6 1.0 — — 0.6 Lothian 1.6 1.0 — — 0.6 Shetland 0.2 — — 0.2 — Tayside 1.0 1.0 — — — Source:
Medical and Dental Census ISD Scotland
§ Mr. MooreTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many unfilled NHS consultant or approved training posts there are in occupational health in(a) each health board and (b) Scotland. [51114]
§ Mr. GalbraithThere were no unfilled NHS consultant posts in occupational health in Scotland at 30 September 1997.
Vacancy data for approved training posts are not collected centrally.
§ Mr. MooreTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those NHS trusts which have access to an occupational health service, and which of those services are led by a consultant in occupational health. [51111]
§ Mr. GalbraithCurrent guidance (updated 1995) requires that Health Boards, Trusts and independent contractors ensure that all their staff should have access to Occupational Health Services either provided by the employer or obtainable from another provider. In addition, arrangements should be made to provide every Occupational Health Team with access to and advice from a consultant occupational physician as required.
§ Mr. MooreTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list his duties in respect of the safety of (i) staff employed in the NHS, (ii) patients and (iii) visitors to NHS premises. [51105]
§ Mr. GalbraithThere is no statutory duty which places responsibility on the Secretary of State for Scotland to ensure that Trusts meet the provisions of the health and safety legislation. Staff employed in the NHS have the same statutory protection as all employees to whom the Health and Safety at Work legislation applies.
In so far as patients and visitors to NHS premises are concerned, both in terms of statute and at common law, the obligation is placed on the "occupier" of the premises to ensure their safety. The Occupiers Liability (Scotland) Act 1960 requires the occupier to show such care as is reasonable in order that a person entering the premises will not suffer injury or damage by reasons of the state of the premises. The obligations and duties are thus placed on the legal entity occupying/controlling the premises and not the Secretary of State for Scotland.
559W
§ Mr. MooreTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many working days were lost through sickness, ill health or injury by NHS staff in(a) each health board and (b) Scotland in the last year for which figures are available; and what was the estimated total cost of those lost days. [51102]
§ Mr. GalbraithThe answer could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. MooreTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps the NHS Management Executive in Scotland is taking to monitor the compliance with health and safety legislation of NHS trusts. [51097]
§ Mr. GalbraithThe NHS in Scotland Management Executive is reviewing Occupational Health and Safety Services for NHS and associated staff in Scotland with a view to implementing recommendations early in 1999.
§ Mr. MooreTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps have been taken to ensure that NHS trusts have adequate arrangements for recording accidents at NHS premises; what encouragement is given to staff to report accidents; and what steps the NHS Management Executive in Scotland has taken to improve the safety performance of NHS trusts. [51103]
§ Mr. GalbraithThe NHS in Scotland Management Executive has regularly reminded NHS Trusts of their responsibilities in ensuring they are taking steps to meet fully their statutory Health and Safety obligations.
§ Mr. MooreTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are being taken to make occupational health services available to staff working in primary care. [51113]
§ Mr. GalbraithCurrent guidance (updated 1995) requires that Health Boards, Trusts and independent contractors ensure that all their staff should have access to Occupational Health Services either provided by the employer or obtainable from another provider.
§ Mr. MooreTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what responsibility the NHS Management Executive in Scotland has for ensuring that trusts meet the provisions of health and safety legislation. [51109]
§ Mr. GalbraithThere is no statutory duty which places responsibility on the NHS Management Executive to ensure that Trusts meet the provisions of the health and safety legislation. The ME does, however, issue directions/guidance to Trusts on health and safety issues.
§ Mr. MooreTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what percentage of NHS staff have access to an occupational health service in(a) each health board and (b) Scotland. [51112]
§ Mr. GalbraithCurrent guidance (updated 1995) requires that Health Boards, Trusts and independent contractors ensure that all their staff should have access to Occupational Health Services either provided by the employer or obtainable from another provider.
§ Mr. MooreTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are being taken to protect staff against violence on health care premises. [51098]
§ Mr. GalbraithThe first HR Strategy for the NHS in Scotland "Towards a New Way of Working" gives an undertaking to develop practical measures aimed at improving the personal safety and security of staff.
560W
§ Mr. MooreTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many NHS employees were killed or injured at work in(a) each health board and (b) Scotland in each year since 1991; [51101]
(2) how many reports under the reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 were received in each year since 1991 in respect of NHS employees in (a) each health board and (b) Scotland. [51100]
§ Angela EagleI have been asked to reply:
Injuries in Scotland to employees in the NHS as reported to HSE 1991–92 to 1997–98 Year Fatal Major Over 3 day Total 1991–92 0 71 902 973 1992–93 0 54 767 821 1993–94 0 70 751 821 1994–95 0 80 946 1,026 1995–96 1 73 847 921 1996–97 0 105 817 922 1997–981 0 113 863 976 1Provisional Notes:
1. NHS is identified by using HSE industry environment code 951 for 1991–92 to 1995–96 and client status 06 for 1996–97 and 1997–981. Injury data in respect of individual health boards cannot be identified from HSE's computer databases. Data are available by local authority
2. Years commence 1 April
3. Injuries are reportable to HSE under the Reporting of Injuries. Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR 95). Prior to the figures for 1996–97, injuries were reportable under RIDDOR 85, which used a different definition for reportable non-fatal injuries. Figures for non-fatal injuries reported under the different legislation are therefore not directly comparable
§ Mr. MooreTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the NHS trusts which have been found, since 1991, to be in breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 indicating in each case the nature of the breaches; [51107]
(2) if he will list the NHS trusts which (a) have been prosecuted and (b) have received prohibition or improvement notices under health and safety legislation since 1991. [51106]
§ Angela EagleI have been asked to reply.
Between 1 April 1991 and 31 March 1998, the Greater Glasgow Health Board was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Field Operations Division (FOD) on 21 February 1992 for a breach of Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act. No other prosecutions have been taken in Scotland.
Improvement Notices have been issued against the following NHS trusts by HSE's FOD in Scotland between 1 April 1996 and 31 March 1998:
- Dumfries and Galloway Community Health NHS Trust
- East and Midlothian NHS Trust
- Southern General NHS Trust
- Dundee Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Western Isles Health Board.
There have been no Prohibition Notices. Prior to 1996–97, notices against the NHS cannot be identified from HSE's computer databases. HSE holds no 561W information on the number of "breaches" which do not result in a prosecution or the issuing of an Improvement or Prohibition Notice.