HC Deb 19 April 2000 vol 348 cc519-20W
Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to ensure that their existing progressive treatment pattern is maintained for cleft lip and palate patients whose units are scheduled for closure following his Department's review. [119750]

Ms Stuart

Clinical decisions are based on the one-to-one relationship between clinicians and other health professionals and their patients. It will be for the main cleft lip and palate centres and their "spoke" units to ensure high standards of care through ongoing training and education and through quality control procedures such as national inter-centre audit.

Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason his Department has stipulated an average of 40 to 50 new referrals per surgeon per annum for designated cleft lip and palate units. [119748]

Ms Stuart

The report on cleft lip and palate services by the Clinical Standards Advisory Group proposed that all surgeons involved in the care of patients with cleft lip and palate malformations should perform at least 40 to 50 operations annually. We have accepted the recommendations of this report.

Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if current cleft lip and palate patients whose existing unit is closing will be able to choose the new unit to which they are referred for treatment. [119751]

Ms Stuart

It is proposed that cleft lip and palate services should be provided as a "hub and spoke" model. The main "hub" centres will provide specialist facilities for patients, and will work closely with a network of "spoke" hospitals that will provide continuing care services, thus improving access and availability.

Most patients will attend their nearest "spoke" centre for the routine elements of their care. The main "hub" centre will be responsible for specialist treatments, including both primary and secondary surgical episodes. Existing patients who require specialist care will normally attend the main "hub" centre linked to their "spoke" hospital. However, if there are good reasons, patients may be referred to another main "hub" centre for specialist treatments.

Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will name the cleft lip and palate units listed in Table 25 (Assessment of providers) of the Clinical Standards Advisory Group report published in February 1998. [119749]

Ms Stuart

This information was given on a confidential basis to the Clinical Standards Advisory Group research team, and was not made available. Since the research was carried out, the situation has changed and the information obtained is no longer correct.