To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will provide funding for (a) voluntary and (b) faith counselling services to support relatives of patients of Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust who have requested an independent review of case notes; and if he will make a statement. (274920)

Counselling services will be offered to all those requesting an independent review of clinical records by the clinician leading the process.

Individuals will be signposted to the counselling services most appropriate to their needs. Where there is demand, these will include services provided by the voluntary sector and specialist faith counselling services.

All services will be provided by external counsellors at a location to suit the individual and will be funded by the trust.

A written ministerial statement on Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust was issued on 30 April 2009, Official Report, columns 63-64WS, in response to the reports of the independent reviews undertaken by Professor Sir George Alberti and Dr. David Colin-Thomé.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether appointments have been made to the position of (a) additional night matron and (b) professional development nurse at Stafford Hospital in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. (274921)

Appointments to individual national health service organisations are a local matter.

However, the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority has confirmed that the posts of night matron and professional development nurse at Stafford Hospital are being advertised in national nursing journals and on the NHS jobs website. The closing date for applications for the posts is 20 May 2009.

A written ministerial statement on Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust was issued on 30 April 2009, Official Report, columns 63-64WS, in response to the reports of the independent reviews undertaken by Professor Sir George Alberti and Dr. David Colin-Thomé.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many temporary nurses have been recruited to work at Stafford Hospital pending substantive appointments by Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. (274922)

Appointments to individual national health service organisations, whether temporary or substantive, are a local matter.

The West Midlands Strategic Health Authority (SHA) has advised that the number of temporary nurses being used at Stafford Hospital fluctuates in line with the requirements of the Trust. The SHA has confirmed that at the start of week commencing 11 March 2009, 74 per cent. of the 39 shift vacancies had been filled by agency nurses, with arrangements in place by the end of the week to bring this up to 92 per cent. The Trust is going to a wide range of agencies to ensure all remaining shifts are taken up and continues working to recruit to all vacant posts permanently.

A written ministerial statement on Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust was issued on 30 April 2009, Official Report, columns 63-64WS, in response to the reports of the independent reviews undertaken by Professor Sir George Alberti and Dr. David Colin-Thomé.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent guidance his Department has issued to the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust on (a) the implementation of the recommendations Lord Darzi's report, High Quality Care for All and (b) the preparation of quality accounts; and if he will make a statement. (274923)

The implementation of High Quality Care for All (HQCfA) requires action at national, regional and local levels. Trusts have and will continue to receive a range of guidance on implementation of the report's recommendations. The operating framework for the NHS in England 2009-10 sets out the national priorities for the national health service, including the wide range of enablers to support the NHS in delivering HQCfA.

Quality Accounts will be produced in 2010, subject to the successful passage of the current Health Bill. Quality reporting is being tested by NHS Foundation trusts and by providers in the East of England in 2009. Guidance on this has been issued jointly by Monitor, the Department, the Care Quality Commission and NHS East of England, and is available on Monitor's website.