HC Deb 09 March 1998 vol 308 cc59-61W
Mr. McDonnell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many inspections of residential homes were undertaken per London borough in(a) 1994–95, (b) 1995–96, (c) 1996–97 and (d) 1997–98; and how many residential homes were visited in each borough. [31218]

Mr. Boateng

This information is not routinely collected by the Department. However, local authority social services departments in London participated in a Social Services Inspectorate national survey of registration and inspection units in 1994–95. The number of reported inspections, and the total number of local authority homes, private and voluntary (including dual registered) whether inspected or not are in the table. This survey is being repeated for 1996–97, but the results are not yet to hand. Data for the other years requested are not available.

Inspections of residential care, London boroughs 1994–95
Authority Number of inspections Number of homes
Camden 102 51
Greenwich 68 34
Hackney 67 34
Hammersmith and Fulham 61 38

inspections of residential care, London boroughs 1994–95
Authority Number of inspections Number of homes
Islington 60 39
Kensington and Chelsea 46 20
Lambeth 144 81
Lewisham 202 64
Southwark 93 47
Tower Hamlets 59 30
Wandsworth 140 69
Westminster 72 36
Barking and Dagenham 39 22
Barnet 174 87
Bexley 64 32
Brent (data not supplied)
Bromley 84 70
Croydon 492 107
Ealing 99 61
Enfield 149 81
Haringey 114 62
Harrow 106 56
Havering 93 57
Hillingdon 65 46
Hounslow 50 25
Kingston upon Thames 113 38
Merton 70 35
Newham 74 37
Redbridge 109 55
Richmond upon Thames 86 41
Sutton 132 44
Waltham Forest 132 66

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will require registration authorities to undertake detailed company searches as a matter of routine when registering residential care and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement. [32860]

Mr. Boateng

Registration authorities are required to satisfy themselves that the person registered or applying to be registered is a "fit person" to run a home. In doing so, authorities will take into account the business background and financial viability of any applicant.

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review legislation and regulations governing the registration of residential care and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement. [32859]

Mr. Boateng

We are committed to creating effective independent regulatory arrangements for residential care homes and nursing homes which are tough, transparent and accountable. We are looking at the options for change and will set out our proposals in the White Paper on Social Services to be published in the summer.

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the financial burden on local authorities of carrying out the registration and inspection of residential care and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement. [32861]

Mr. Boateng

Latest available information returned to the Department from local and health authority returns for 1995–96, indicate that the costs of local authority regulation functions were £28.6 million, and those for health authorities £9.2 million. In both cases, income from residential care and nursing home fees has fallen significantly short of the costs incurred by authorities. Regulatory fees have not been increased for several years and in January this year we published our proposals for raising fees in the "Consultation Document on Increasing Regulatory Fees for Residential Care Homes and Nursing Homes", copies of which are available in the Library.

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