§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulatory exemptions from the Care840W Standards Act 2000 are available to operators of simple hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the community who are registered charities. [37605]
§ Jacqui SmithI apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.
There are no exemptions from regulation under the Care Standards Act for operators of simple hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers who are registered charities. However, the standards for hyperbaric facilities for therapeutic use are considerably fewer than for those used to treat patients with acute medical conditions, and proportionate to their simpler operation.