§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the progress made on the NHS plan target to recruit 700 carers workers; [154824]
(2) whether the 700 carers workers promised in the NHS plan will be additional to existing staff in NHS trusts. [154828]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe commitment to recruit 700 carer support workers to by 2004 to increase the breaks available for carers, and to strengthen carer support networks is part of the "Priorities and Planning Framework 2003—06" which identified the targets set for services in the three year period.
Recruitment is a local responsibility therefore we cannot say whether the 700 carer support workers will all be additional to existing national health service staff. Guidance on developing carer support services was published in 2002.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 2 February 2004,Official Report, column 688W, on mental health, whether the (a) 27 early intervention teams and (b) 132 crisis resolution teams conform to an early intervention model; what quality standards have been put in place for them; and if he will make a statement. [154986]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonDetailed service specifications for crisis resolution and early intervention teams are contained in the "Mental Health Policy Implementation Guide" (2001), which is available in the Library.
A full analysis of the teams currently in operation against the criteria set out in the "Mental Health Policy Implementation Guide" is available from the Durham adult mental health services mapping database at http://www.dur.ac.uk/service.mapping/amh, which is regularly updated to reflect changes in team attributes.
Local services are supported and managed by strategic health authorities to develop local delivery plans to meet NHS Plan targets.