HEALTH VISITORS

Early day motion 89, tabled 4 July 2001 by Ann Winterton (Conservative). Signed by 54 members.

That this House acknowledges the increasingly important role of health visitors in communities in the provision of care for patients in the home environment where they may be most at risk from ill-treatment; notes with concern the omission of health visitors from the Department of Health's consultation document entitled 'Establishing the new Nursing and Midwifery Council', April 2001, as set out in the proposed draft legislation entitled the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 under section 62(9) of the Health Act 1999; supports measures to protect patients from incompetent, negligent or abusive nurses, midwives or health visitors; and further supports calls for the introduction of a mandatory qualification for public health practice and the inclusion of the election of health visitors as a specific registrant group.

Signatures by party: Labour 32, Liberal Democrat 12, Conservative 4, Labour/Co-operative 3, Plaid Cymru 1, Scottish National Party 1, UUP 1.