HC Deb 25 May 2004 vol 421 cc1606-7W
Adam Price

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what arrangements are in place to review cases to ensure that individuals are not incorrectly charged for personal health care; [173912]

(2) what the criteria are for initiating an investigation into cases of individuals incorrectly charged for personal health care; [173940]

(3) how many cases are being investigated of individuals who may have been incorrectly charged for personal health care in each local authority in England in each of the last six years. [174036]

Dr. Ladyman

The Continuing Care (National Health Service Responsibilities) Directions and the Delayed Discharges (Continuing Care) Directions, both published in February, should ensure appropriate assessments for fully funded national health service continuing care, whether it is prior to hospital discharge or in a community setting. All strategic health authorities have systems in place to review cases where individuals, or their families, feel they were inappropriately denied fully funded NHS continuing care and will investigate all cases brought to their attention. Information on the number of people who were wrongly denied NHS care since 1996 will be available once the data have been validated.