§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average amount of(a) paid and (b) unpaid time a medical laboratory science officer is expected to set aside for studying for a continuing professional development certificate. [120337]
§ Mr. DenhamThe information requested is not collected centrally. Health Service Circular 1999/154, "Continuing Professional Development: Quality in The New NHS", supports National Health Service employers to develop locally managed arrangements for continuing professional development (CPD) to ensure that CPD programmes address the personal and career development needs of individuals and meet local service objectives and the needs of patients.
§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in allowing medical laboratory science officers to join the Pay Review Body; and if he will make a statement. [120335]
§ Mr. DenhamOur proposals for modernising National Health Service pay, which were published in February 1999 in "Agenda for Change", include bringing some groups of highly qualified staff within the scope of the Nursing Pay Review Body, without changing its fundamentally professional character.
Initial discussions with NHS trade unions on pay modernisation resulted in a joint Framework of Principles and Agreed Statement on the Way Forward which was published on 8 October 1999, Para 7.2 of the joint 62W Framework sets out the following starting point for more detailed discussions with trade unions on the qualifying criteria for groups to come with the scope of the NPRB:
Professions with a minimum entry requirement of three years educational study (or equivalent) to diploma level or higher, in a health specific area (other than medicine or dentistry) and which are state registered and have a substantial majority of members employed in health care.Exceptions might be agreed for staff groups which met the majority but not all of these conditions.Staff groups which support professions added to the NPRB remit, and who have a direct connection with the transferred groups similar to that between nursing auxiliaries and registered nurses, would also need to be considered for transfer.I am sure my hon. Friend will appreciate that, as this is part of continuing confidential discussions with NHS unions aimed at reaching agreement by summer 2000, I am unable to comment further at this stage.
§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what records are kept by his Department of death rates among medical laboratory science officers. [120338]
§ Mr. DenhamInformation on death rates among medical laboratory science officers is not collected centrally, but may be held locally by individual National Health Service employers.