§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will issue guidance to local authority inspectors to enable them to interpret according to individual circumstances the physical standards regulations within the National Care Standards, when registering new community housing projects where service users will not have major physical support needs, including brain injury rehabilitation community housing services; [82924]
(2) if he will consult voluntary and charitable sector organisations who provide care home, supported and community housing services for people with disabilities in reviewing the effects of the National Care Standards; [82927]
(3) if he plans to review the effect of the National Care Standards on the provision of care home, supported and community housing services to people with disabilities; [82926]
(4) what representations he has received from voluntary or charitable sector providers of care home, supported and community housing services for people with disabilities concerning the application of the National Care Standards. [82925]
§ Jacqui SmithWe have made it clear in the past that the National Minimum Standards will be continuously monitored. We had always proposed to review them within the first three years of operation, and in the light of the review consider any changes needed. Where significant changes are proposed, the Government have pledged that there will be another consultation process to ensure that the views of the sector are fully represented.
The Department issued a consultation document, "Care Homes for Older People and Younger Adults: Consultation Document—August 2002", on 16 August. It set out how the National Minimum Standards should be amended so that certain environmental standards will no longer apply to care homes which existed before 1 April 2002.
The consultation document draws attention to the package of measures the Department launched in January 2002 to smooth the introduction of the national standards. This included comprehensive statutory guidance to the Commission, under section 6 of the Care Standards Act, setting out the supportive way in which the standards should be applied. The guidance indicates that the standards should be used to help guide all care homes on action they can take to improve their services. In addition, in August 2002, we issued guidance on the regulation of supported housing and care homes.
Responses to the consultation have been received from a range of interested parties, including the voluntary and charitable sector organisations. We are 766W currently considering these and will shortly be issuing an amended set of national minimum standards for care homes for older people and for care homes for younger adults.
We have received a number of representations including some from voluntary or charitable providers of care services about the application of National Care Standards.