§ Mr. Cabornasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the standard charges the National Health Service is required to make for each kind of private radiological and laboratory examination; and whether such charges are varied if the examinations are carried out for patients in private clinics and hospitals.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeCharges to private non-resident patients of a member of the medical or dental staff of a health service hospital are determined annually by my right hon. Friend under section 66 of the National Health Service Act 1977. A request for any pathology laboratory examination is charged between £5 and £9.50 according to hospital type. For radiodiagnosis the charge depends on the work done, but there is a minimum charge of between £9.50 and £13.50 according to hospital type. Private inpatients pay a fixed daily charge which covers all hospital services supplied to them. Current charges are set out in detail in health circular HC(83)7. I am arranging for a copy of this to be placed in the Library of the House.
Charges for services supplied to private hospitals and clinics by health authorities under section 58 of the National Health Service Act 1977 are negotiated locally.