§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what level of support is routinely offered to children discharged from hospital after complex urology and gastrointestinal surgery received in primary care; [129292]
(2) if he will make a statement on the current situation whereby acute unit nurses are travelling from regional centres to primary care trusts in order to support children who have had urology and gastrointestinal surgery. [129294]
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§ Dr. LadymanThe successful transition of care for a child in these circumstances is reliant on preparations made by the regional centre in close liaison with local primary health care staff and the community nursing team. Levels of support will accord with the child's degree of dependency and transitional arrangements will include input from the regional centre appropriate to the child's recovery.
A national service framework (NSF) for children is currently under development. This will set standards aimed at raising the quality of the health and social care 859W services that children receive. The first part of the NSF, relating to hospital standards, was published in April. Successive parts of the NSF will be published next year, and will include consideration of the best means to support children post-discharge following complex surgery.