HC Deb 11 November 1997 vol 300 cc693-5
4. Caroline Flint

What action he is taking to cut waste in the national health service. [13811]

The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. Alan Milburn)

On 22 May, we announced a programme of measures to reduce management costs by £100 million this year. Our efficiency task force has identified savings of £40 million. As part of our plans to replace the internal market, we are looking at the scope for further savings from bureaucracy.

Caroline Flint

I thank my hon. Friend for that response. In Doncaster alone last year, 60,000 people did not turn up for their appointments, thus leaving empty seats in waiting rooms in hospitals. I am sure that that situation is reflected across the country. We all have a responsibility to ensure that we appreciate the resources of the NHS, because the money wasted by people not turning up could fund important projects, such as the breast cancer clinic and Jasmine centre in Doncaster.

Mr. Milburn

My hon. Friend is quite right to say that with the right that patients have to access to NHS services comes the responsibility to use those services wisely. The Government will be seeking to learn the lessons from best practice, particularly in areas like "did not attends". The efficiency task force will be looking specifically at this area, and we intend to bear down on bureaucracy and waste and to invest more in front-line patient services.

Mr. Soames

Will the Minister look with care at the programme of savings instituted in the Ministry of Defence by the former Chief Secretary, which was extremely successful in looking at the non-core business and work of the MoD and seeing whether that work could be contracted out or done better by other people? The considerable savings from "Front Line First" were ploughed back into the front line. Will he look at such a programme and not dismiss it out of hand, as there is real scope for substantial savings?

Mr. Milburn

As the hon. Gentleman knows, what counts for this Government is what works. The efficiency task force will look to ensure that, in future, we will pool together where possible the functions currently provided by NHS trusts. If it is possible to bear down on administration functions and to cut waste, we will do so. I am sure that all hon. Members will back the Government's manifesto commitment to ensure that resources go to front-line patient services.

Mrs. Anne Campbell

Does my hon. Friend share my concern at recent press reports of waste within the national blood transfusion service, and particularly the waste of blood products donated freely for use by NHS patients?

Mr. Milburn

As my hon. Friend is aware, a review is taking place of the successes—and some of the failures—of the blood transfusion service. That review will report shortly.

Mr. Simon Hughes

In the Government's campaign against waste in the health service—which we fully support—will they make sure that NHS trusts and civil servants get the message that projects which are wasteful of taxpayers' money and time and which duplicate perfectly good existing resources will not be approved? When Ministers come to their conclusions about the London review, will they make sure that approval is not given to the spending of between £100 million and £200 million of taxpayers' charitable money on building a new hospital across the river on the St. Thomas's site when £200 million has been spent on building a new hospital on the Guy's site, and when it is proposed that 18 floors of the Guy's hospital buildings will be left empty?

Mr. Milburn

I would not want to prejudge the outcome of the Turnberg review of London's health services, but I assure the hon. Gentleman that all projects—particularly capital projects—will be judged to ensure that they provide maximum value for money for patients and the taxpayer.

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