§ Ms Rachel SquireTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the Eastern health and social services board's acute services proposals in relation to the criterion of clinical effectiveness for providing and purchasing acute services.
§ Mr. Hanley[holding answer 11 March 1993]: In formulating its proposals for purchasing acute services the Eastern health and social services board used clinical effectiveness as one of its fundamental criteria. In doing so the board was guided by the Department of Health and Social Service's regional strategy for 1992–1997, which emphasised the importance of clinical effectiveness. The board also took account of a number of reports from various professional bodies in the United Kingdom on the provision of acute hospital care.