§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many district health authorities have renegotiated contracts for geriatric care outside their authority boundaries; and if he will list them;
(2) for each district health authority, how many extra-contractual referrals for geriatric cases have been (a) made, (b) funded and (c) not funded since the introduction of the internal market in April 1991.
§ Mr. DorrellThis information is not available centrally.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the effect of the National Health Service internal market on cross-boundary flows for geriatric cases.
§ Mr. DorrellWe are satisfied that the contractual arrangements introduced by health authorities provide for the great majority of referrals and that, where no contract is in place, there are arrangements for making extra-contractual referrals.