Written question asked by Simon Burns (Conservative) on Monday, 25 March 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 29 April 2002. It was answered by Lord Hutton of Furness (Labour) on Monday, 29 April 2002 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the level of (a) waste, (b) fraud and (c) inefficiency in the NHS in each of the last five years; and what measures he has introduced to reduce the level. - Includes figures. (Holding answer 10 April 2002).

Answer: Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the level of (a) waste, (b) fraud and (c) inefficiency in the NHS in each of the last five years; and what measures he has introduced to reduce the level. [46730] Mr. Hutton: [holding answer 10 April 2002]: The Department monitors and manages the performance of the NHS in the delivery of the key targets set out in the "NHS Plan". In addition, the NHS is subject to external independent audit by the Audit Commission and the National Audit Office. They publish a number of studies each year on the value for money of aspects of the NHS. The Department considers each of these reports, and implements their recommendations where appropriate. Analysis using data from November 1998 identified £117 million of pharmaceutical patient fraud. Further analysis showed that this had been reduced to £48 million by 1999 (41 per cent.). A range of measures have been introduced to reduce fraud, including patient exemption checks and a penalty charge where a person fails to pay appropriate NHS charges. In addition, we have set about improving governance arrangements to ensure the necessary standards of accountability, probity and openness through the introduction in 1999 of the controls assurance standards.

Secondary information