§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all those NHS projects which have been financed by private sector money over the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. SackvilleMeasures announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the autumn statement will increase the scope for national health service use of private finance to improve and extend services. We aim to ensure that NHS patients will benefit from these new freedoms to the greatest possible extent. NHS directors of finance have been encouraged to use private finance if this is cost-effective.
NHS projects using private finance need approval by the Department of Health and the Treasury if the capital assets involved have a value of £250,000 or more. Projects which have been approved in the last 12 months are shown in the table.
NHS projects using private capital worth over £0–25 million approved in the 12 months to end of February 1993
- 1. Sheffield Northern General Hospital NHS Trust: contracting for the provision of satellite dialysis facilities at Rotherham Hospital.
- 2. NHS Supplies Authority: lease of offices for HQ in Reading.
- 3. NHS Supplies Authority: lease of offices for North East Divisional HQ in Harrogate.
- 4. Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary NHS Trust: lease of magnetic resonance imager.
- 5. Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical Education: lease of offices in London.
- 6. South East London Commissioning Agency: lease of offices in London.
- 7. King's College Hospital, Camberwell: new clinical waste incineration facilities.
- 8. The Royal Oldham Hospital NHS Trust: new clinical waste incineration facilities.
- 9. Royal Liverpool University Hospital NHS Trust: proposed joint venture patient hotel.