§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what funds have been provided by his Department for(a) research into the extent of hospital delayed discharge resulting from elderly patients unable to be discharged because their home does not provide a warm and healthy living environment and (b) practical improvement programmes to ensure that elderly people discharged from hospital can return to a healthy and comfortable home. [45637]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 26 March 2002]: The Department is not funding any specific research of this nature.
367WThe Department has awarded a total of nearly £1 million over the three years 2001–02 to 2003–04 to Age Concern (England), Help the Aged, and the British Red Cross Society. This is being used to develop local intermediate care projects, which provide practical help through volunteers to ensure that older people's own homes are safe and comfortable, in order to prevent hospital admission or to facilitate discharge from hospital. The Home Office Active Community Unit has matched this funding.
A number of Health Action Zones have funded systems to enable health professionals to refer patients suffering from the effects of cold housing, including patients to be discharged from hospital, for help with heating and insulation. In August 2001, the Department of Health funded publication by National Energy Action of "Affordable Warmth and Health Action Zones, a Good Practice Guide", which describes these projects.
The Department funds the 'Keep Warm, Keep Well' campaign each winter. In the winter of 2001–02, this involved distribution of over 2.3 million leaflets, information packs for healthcare professionals, and a national telephone advice line to enable eligible older people and other groups to claim grants for insulation and heating and benefits.