Written question asked by Sue Doughty (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 17 March 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 1 April 2003. It was answered by Lord Hutton of Furness (Labour) on Tuesday, 1 April 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 11th March, 401 c246W, on private health schemes, what procedures are in place to monitor National Health Service trusts and primary care trusts to ensure that the offering of private patient services is not interfering with the performance by a trust of its functions or of its obligations under NHS contracts.

Answer: Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his Answer of 11 March 2003, Official Report, column 246W, on private health schemes, what procedures are in place to monitor national health service trusts and primary care trusts to ensure that the offering of private patient services is not interfering with the performance by a trust of its functions or of its obligations under NHS contracts. [104053] Mr. Hutton: Strategic health authorities are responsible for the performance management of national health service trusts and primary care trusts. It is, however, primarily for those trusts themselves to establish arrangements to monitor and review the appropriateness of their private patient provision.

Secondary information