Sir Geoffrey JohnsonSmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the impact of his proposed regulations on the number of businesses in the long-term care industry; and what percentage of the available long-term beds these businesses account for; [106378]
374W(2) what plans he has to establish a system to monitor the quality of care in addition to the physical elements described in his Department's document "Fit for the Future?"; [106380]
(3) what research his Department has undertaken into the impact on the NHS of increased private sector demand for the skilled staff required by "Fit for the Future?"; [106383]
(4) what research his Department has carried out on the cost implications of the level access requirement of his "Fit for the Future?" document; [106381]
(5) what assessment he has made of the cost implications of the "Fit for the Future?" requirement that doorways should be at least 900mm. wide; [106382]
(6) what assessment he has made of the geographical distribution of non-compliant long-term care accommodation in relation to demographic trends and likely local shortfalls in service availability. [106379]
§ Mr. HuttonThe new National Care Standards Commission will regulate care services and private healthcare. The Commission will ensure that services meet the finalised minimum standards. The proposals in "Fit for the Future?" are aimed at promoting better quality care and helping to prevent abuse by grounding practice on the principles of dignity, choice, privacy and respect.
The Department did not carry out research into the impact of each of the standards proposed. However, Laing and Buisson were commissioned to work on a cost-benefit analysis of the standards to ascertain the likely burden on providers nationally. Additional information was gathered from Heads of Inspection regarding the current standard of provision. Information from these studies was published in "Fit for the Future?" along with a regulatory impact appraisal.
We will be issuing a revised regulatory impact appraisal with the published standards later this year.
The Department has not conducted any specific research into the impact on the National Health Service of the proposals concerning ratios of qualified nurses to other staff in nursing homes. However, we are funding a major study by Kings College, University of London, tracking the careers of 3,000 new entrants to nursing. Although not the focus of the research, this will help assess the demand for nurses, including from the private sector. We are also actively considering models for assessment of nursing needs which would allow levels of qualified nurses to relate more flexibility to assessed needs.