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HEALTH
Maternity Services (Select Committee Report)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Dr. Stephen Ladyman): The Government's response to the Health Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2002–03 on Provision of Maternity Services, the
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Eighth Report of Session 2002–03 on Inequalities in Access to Maternity Services, and the Ninth Report of Session 2002–03 on Choice in Maternity Services (Cm 6140), has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.
The Government recognise that women and their families currently benefit from high standard maternity services provided by dedicated and hardworking National Health Service staff.
The Government are committed to maintaining and building on the quality of maternity services by tackling inequalities as a matter of priority and promoting choice for all women and their families.
David Bennett
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Ms Rosie Winterton): The report of the independent inquiry into the death of David 'Rocky' Bennett is published today. David Bennett's death is a tragedy and my sincere sympathies go out to his family for their loss. He died five years ago in a medium secure unit after being restrained by staff. The report raises a number of very important issues. We have a duty to understand these and act upon their findings.
It is essential that the health service is safe for service users and staff. Following a meeting with David Bennett's family, we established the Cross-Government Group on the management of aggression and violence. We have just published positive practice standards for local services, and have established a programme of work with the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) to help improve the organisation and quality of training for staff. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence will shortly publish guidance in this area.
I accept that there is discrimination in the NHS, both direct and indirect. There is no place for racism or discrimination. It is unacceptable; it contradicts the basic value of equity that is the cornerstone of the health service. In mental health we have already made a start by publishing "Delivering Race Equality" which outlines a national framework for local action.
Behaviours and processes that have grown up in mental health services mean that there is particular inequity in the provision of care and outcomes for people from black and minority ethnic groups. We are committed to rooting out racism, tackling these inequalities and ensuring that the experience of people from black and ethnic minority groups is improved. The consultation feed back on "Delivering Race Equality" and the recommendations of the David Bennett inquiry report will help inform future action.
We also need senior, committed, leadership to ensure that change happens. This is why Professor Kamlesh Patel, chair of the Mental Health Act Commission, has been asked to direct the national programme of work, including the work of the National Institute for Mental Health. A national steering group, co-chaired by Lord Victor Adebowale, from Turning Point will also inform us. I will expect quarterly reports on progress.
The National Institute for Mental Health has been set up to help improve local mental health services. Its largest programme is focused on black and minority ethnic mental health. It covers:
- better quality and more intelligently used information;
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- more appropriate and responsive services; and,
- increased community engagement.
In order to ensure that change is sustainable we need to work with local communities to help us understand their needs and to build their confidence. To help achieve this we will fund 80 community engagement projects and appoint 500 community development workers to make a direct connection between local people, staff and services.
In "Delivering Race Equality" we are absolutely committed to ensuring that staff have the knowledge and skills to enable them to deliver services to, and in partnership with, all groups in their community. This includes race equality training.
Last but not least, when serious incidents occur, we know that good communication is essential. Families and carers need to be involved, and different agencies must communicate more effectively with each other. We are therefore working with the Home Office and police to improve local liaison; and with the NPSA to reform the process of independent inquiries. This will help to ensure that families and carers can be more closely engaged, and that staff and services learn the lessons they need to. We deeply regret the death of David Bennett. We are committed to making change happen.
NHS Charges
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Ms Rosie Winterton): We shall lay before the House regulations to increase national health service charges in England from 1 April 2004. There will be a cash increase in the prescription charge of 10 pence from £6.30 to £6.40 for each quantity of a drug or appliance dispensed.
The cost of prescription prepayment certificates will rise to £33.40 for a four month certificate and £91.80 for an annual certificate. These offer savings for those needing more than five items in four months or 14 in one year.
Prescription charges are expected to raise some £462 million for the NHS in 2004–05.
Charges for elastic stockings and tights, wigs and fabric supports supplied through the hospital service will be increased similarly.
The maximum patient charge for a single course of dental treatment begun on or after 1 April 2004 will increase from £372 to £378.
The prescription charge increase is the same as in the previous five years and is well below the current level of inflation. The other increases are in line with this percentage increase.
The majority of optical voucher values will increase by 2.5 per cent. to help children and people on low income with the cost of spectacles or contact lenses. In recognition of the greater costs which people with high prescription lenses may face, vouchers for these individuals will increase by 10 per cent. We will continue to monitor the costs of high prescription lenses over the coming year to see if further changes are necessary.
NHS charges and optical voucher values in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are a matter for the devolved administrations.
Details of the revised charges and optical voucher values have been placed in the Library.
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NORTHERN IRELAND
Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (Renewal)
The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Jane Kennedy): On 21 September 2003, I announced a review of the effectiveness of the temporary provisions of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000. Principally these relate to 50:50 recruitment. That review was initiated as part of the Secretary of State's statutory duty, under section 47 of that Act, both to have regard to progress made towards securing that membership of the police and police support staff is representative of the community in Northern Ireland, and to consult the Policing Board, when making a decision as to whether those temporary provisions should be renewed. The review ended on 19 December, but I have continued to meet with political parties on this issue until recently.
As a direct result of these temporary provisions, steady progress towards a more representative police service has been achieved. The number of Catholic applications to the PSNI has been unprecedented, averaging 35 per cent. over six competitions. As a direct result, the proportion of Catholic officers in the regulars has increased from around 8 per cent. to almost 14 per cent. Increase in Catholic representation among civilian staff has been slower, in part because 50:50 does not apply to all civilian recruitment competitions, only to those where six or more are sought in the same field at the same time.
A number of issues were raised during the review about the efficiency of the 50:50 recruitment process and its fairness to candidates. I am looking seriously at those issues and my officials are liaising with the police to assess the scope for potential improvements. The Government is keen to move forward with increasing the representativeness of the police service. The more progress we can make now, the sooner it may be possible to put an end to a procedure that is difficult for many people to accept, but justified in our view for the greater good.
For these reasons, and after considering carefully all the views expressed during the consultation period, the Secretary of State has now decided that those temporary provisions should be renewed for a further three years. That is why I am today laying before Parliament the draft Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (Renewal of Temporary Provisions) Order 2004. There will be an opportunity to debate the Order in both Houses of Parliament.
Prison Service Pay
The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Jane Kennedy): The report of the Prison Service pay review body on the pay of governor and officer grades in the Northern Ireland Prison Service for 2004 has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Both the Secretary of State and I welcome the recognition in the report of the work of staff in the Northern Ireland Prison Service.
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The Review Body has recommended a 2 per cent. increase (part consolidated— part non-consolidated) on existing rates of pay for the 12 month period commencing 1 April 2004.
I have decided to accept the recommendations and implement the award in full.
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