Written question asked by Lord Hammond of Runnymede (Conservative) on Tuesday, 23 November 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 1 December 1999. It was answered by Baroness Stuart of Edgbaston (Labour) on Wednesday, 1 December 1999 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prescriptions were tracked for the purposes of charging to primary care group budgets during the first six months of operation of primary care groups; and how many invoices were issued by NHS trusts and health authorities to other NHS bodies during the last six months of the period in which the fundholding and extra-contractual referrals systems were in operation. - Inc figure and fact that the Department does not hold information centrally on the number of invoices issued.

Answer: Mr. Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions were tracked for the purposes of charging to primary care group budgets during the first six months of operation of primary care groups; and how many invoices were issued by NHS trusts and health authorities to other NHS bodies during the last six months of the period in which the fundholding and extra-contractual referrals systems were in operation. [99896] Ms Stuart: The Prescription Pricing Authority estimates that it will charge the cost of some 255 million prescriptions against Primary Care Group prescribing budgets for the six-month period April to September 1999. The Department does not hold information centrally on the number of invoices issued by National Health Service trusts and health authorities to other NHS bodies during the last six months of the period in which the fundholding and extra-contractual referrals systems were in operation.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 99896; 340 c248-9W
Session: 1999-00
Subjects: Billing Fees and charges GP fundholders NHS Prescriptions Primary care groups Out of area treatment
Contains statistics: Yes