HC Deb 26 July 1983 vol 46 cc1040-1
16. Mr. Chapman

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to ensure that a higher proportion of Health Service resources goes to direct patient care by achieving savings in the cost of support services.

Mr. Fowler

Yes, Sir. This is one of the aims of the Government's policy of competitive tendering.

Mr. Chapman

While recognising that expenditure on the NHS has increased by 17 per cent. in real terms in the past five years, but accepting that demand for resources will be even greater in the future, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether he agrees that if we are to give the maximum support to direct patient care it is essential that we eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy and administration in the service, just as it is important to see that within quality specifications we get the best possible price for the services supporting that direct patient care?

Mr. Fowler

I agree with both those points. As has been made clear, the Government are working to manpower targets, but equally what we shall want to do is to see competitive tendering bringing the support services of the NHS under scrutiny so that we can check the cost of those services, and so that any money saved can go to direct patient care.

Mr. Meadowcroft

Does the Secretary of State accept that there is great danger in the definition of support services as being simply administrative, when it is possible that the support services include the home help services, which are possibly the most economically efficient and valuable of the whole Health Service?

Mr. Fowler

We are talking basically about the NHS, and the services involved in contracting out, which are the domestic services, portering, cleaning and services of that kind. I am sure the hon. Gentleman will agree that if savings can be made in those services and if the money saved can go to direct patient care, his party would support that.

Mr. John Townend

Does my right hon. Friend agree that there is a valid argument for saying that a proportion of any savings made from the privatisation of the support services should be returned to the Treasury to help fund tax reductions for the low-paid?

Mr. Fowler

There is an argument for that, but I am not sure that it is an argument that I would necessarily accept at this stage, because the important thing that we are trying to do is to ensure that the health authorities make sensible economies and savings in their budgets. That money can then go to patient care. That is the sensible way of tackling the problem.