§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what examination he has made of the use made by acute hospital trusts of the money given to ward managers for ward improvements. [9868]
§ Mr. HuttonWard environment budgets were introduced on 1 October 2000. They give the ward sisters and charge nurses that manage a ward a minimum of £5,000 a year to improve patient care and improve the working lives of staff. An independent MORI telephone survey in mid December 2000 showed over 70 per cent. of ward sisters and charge nurses had been able to improve the ward environment in the two months since the budget had been launched. The majority of purchases provided greater comfort for patients as well as visual improvements to the ward environment.
In keeping with the stated objective of reducing bureaucracy, no further surveys have been undertaken since that date.