§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information he has on the consideration being given by Medway health authority to sending patients for treatment in France;
(2) what guidance he has given on the provision of interpreters to patients of United Kingdom health authorities being treated overseas; and what arrangements he plans for assisting patients with travel expenses under such circumstances;
(3) which health authorities in the United Kingdom are considering transferring patients for routine health care outside the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. DorrellThe relevant legislation, EC social security regulation 1408–71, places responsibility for authorisation of referrals of individual patients elsewhere in the EC on the Department of Health as the United Kingdom competent institution. We have received no representation from any United Kingdom health authority for referrals of patients as a matter of routine; this includes Medway health authority. Interpretation facilities for referred patients would be a matter for the institution providing treatment or the patient. Travelling costs would be the patient's own responsibility.