§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 10 July 2003,Official Report, columns 1013–14W, on older people, if he will place in the Library a copy of the information collated through strategic health authorities concerning the national service framework. [126636]
§ Dr. LadymanThe reports provided to strategic health authorities (SHAs) by local national health service bodies and councils giving information on the implementation of the single assessment process for older people have been analysed, and issues addressed, at the SHA level. Individual reports were made available to the Social Services Inspectorate (SSI) where appropriate. A number of overview reports compiled by SHAs on the localities reporting to them have been copied to the Department of Health for information. Intelligence from these overview reports, allied to discussion with SHA and SSI officials, has helped the Department understand where progress has been made and the challenges lie. As a result a brief working summary of key issues was tabled at the implementation conferences held by the Department in January and February 2003. There are no plans to publish this summary more widely. The Department plans to publish a more formal report on the single assessment process, based on issues arising from the overview reports from 2002, the equivalent reports from 2003 and other intelligence later this year.
In March 2003, the Department published a report of progress on all aspects of the national service framework for older people, including the single assessment process. The report was titled "National Service Framework for Older People—a report of progress and future challenges, 2003". A copy is available in the Library.