§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what time scale he has set for chief executives of 253W hospitals to implement local resuscitation policies which take account of patients' rights; and if he will make a statement; [135716]
(2) what guidance he has issued following recommendations from the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Nursing and the Resuscitation Council (UK) concerning patient involvement in resuscitation decisions; and if he will make a statement. [135717]
§ Yvette CooperOn 5 September, the Department issued a Health Service Circular Resuscitation Policy (HSC2000/28) to National Health Service trust chief executives which makes clear that patients' rights are central to decision-making on resuscitation.
The circular asks chief executives to ensure that appropriate resuscitation policies—which respects patients' rights—are in place, understood by all relevant staff, accessible to those who need them, and that such policies are subject to appropriate audit and monitoring arrangements.
As stated in the NHS Plan, hospitals are to have resuscitation policies in place by April 2001.