§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will, in the light of the recent Ombudsman's report on Mr. Curran, assess the criteria used by the Castle Point and Rochford Primary Care Trust to determine payment of the long-term health and care costs; and if he will make a statement on their consistency with the principle of free NHS care for those with serious health problems; [171717]
- (2) if he will refund to families the costs they have been charged for the long-term care of their loved ones where these charges have been found to relate primarily to clinical care necessary because of severe illness; and if he will make a statement; [171731]
- (3) if he will make it his policy to ensure that people with severe irreversible brain damage who need long-term health care ate not required to pay for that care; [171733]
- (4) if he will list the strategic health authorities under which the long-term care of people with Parkinson's disease is (a) funded under the NHS and (b) not funded under the NHS; [171734]
- (5) if he will make a statement on the consistency among strategic health authorities' policies on paying for long-term care costs for people with Parkinson's disease and other serious health needs. [171735]
§ Dr. LadymanRecompense payments have been made, and will continue to be made, in cases where investigations have revealed that individuals were wrongly denied full funded national health service continuing care. Eligibility for fully funded NHS continuing care is based on the individual's level of assessed health care needs, not on a condition specific basis. All strategic health authorities have recently reviewed their criteria and have provided the Department with evidence of the legal advice sought to ensure their criteria's compliance with the NHS' legal responsibilities.