To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to make a statement on the impact of rules regarding care assistants accompanying older people, or those with disabilities, for shopping, that dictate they must only go to the nearest available shop.

My Department has given no direction to the effect that care assistants accompanying older people or those with disabilities for shopping must go to the nearest shop, nor am I aware of any such rules within the health and social care sector. However, Health and Social Care Trusts have a duty to balance the needs and expectations of services users with the efficient use of the resources available, and in some instances this may mean that longer journeys are not the most cost-effective use of staff time.