§ 17. Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to announce the Department's response to the Health Service Ombudsman's report on continuing care. [122435]
§ Dr. LadymanThe Department has been responding vigorously to the key recommendations since the publication of the Health Service Ombudsman's report on continuing care. We have already announced a number of actions to address the key issues raised.
I will be meeting with the Ombudsman in the autumn to review progress.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to his Answer of 9 June,Official Report, column 681W, on continuing care, how many people may have been wrongly denied full NHS funding for continuing care based on local information, broken down by strategic health authorities; [121596]
(2) pursuant to his Answer of 19 June 2003, Official Report, columns 428–9W, on continuing care, how he will inform (a) the National Care Standards Commission, (b) the Health Service Ombudsman, (c) strategic health authorities and (d) individuals of the numbers of people who may have been wrongly assessed under criteria not consistent with the Coughlan judgment; and if he will make a statement. [121767]
§ Dr. Ladyman[holding answer 26 June 2003]: We have no current plans to publish the numbers of people who may have been wrongly assessed under criteria not consistent with the Coughlan judgment.
229WWe will communicate with the National Care Standards Commission, the Ombudsman, strategic health authorities and individuals as and when appropriate.