(2) what guidelines her Department has issued on the appointment of community development workers by primary care trusts (PCTs); what account a PCT is expected to take of the financial position of its other mental health provision in making a decision on whether to appoint a person to such a post; and what discussions her Department has had with North East Essex Primary Care Trust on its recent decision to appoint such a worker.
This is a local matter. It is the responsibility of primary care trusts (PCTs) to ensure that the services they commission meet the needs of the communities that they serve.
The PCTs decision to appoint a community development worker (CDW) is in accordance with the 2007-08 operating framework for the national health service that states that PCTs are expected to recruit 500 CDWs nationally by December 2007. The appointment of CDWs is a leading priority for mental health services and the Department has supported recruitment with £16 million per annum in PCTs’ baseline financial allocations.
There have been no discussions with North East Essex PCT on the subject.