HC Deb 29 November 1989 vol 162 c301W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of his letter to the Northern regional health authority declining to allow the regional blood transfusion service to become a self-governing trust.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

No. We do not believe that self-governing status is appropriate to the blood transfusion service at present.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which districts or regions it is proposed to operate the blood transfusion service as a trading agency.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

All regional health authorities have reviewed their arrangements for managing the blood transfusion service as part of their response to the Department's circular EL(89) MB/59 (a copy of which is in the Library). Several have proposed to set up boards to manage the service on their behalf and to devolve the budgets to district health authorities.