§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will announce the results of the review of her Department's requirements for information from the NHS.
§ Mr. SackvilleWe are anxious to do all we can to reduce further the number of forms which currently have to be filled in by national health service units and returned to the Department, as part of our statistical database.
We have already reduced and rationalised the contents of 21 different forms. A further five returns are being abolished, because the information they contain is now available from other sources.
In addition, I am pleased to announce that from 1 April this year the Department will no longer require returns giving the following information:
- Form KH10—Radiotherapy Machine Activity;
- Form KH13—Diagnostic Departments—Physiological Measurements;
- Form KO39—Hospital Eye Services.
There is clearly a limit to the amount of information required by the Department and the NHS Management Executive on a national service regionally and locally administered. Moreover, release from the burden of filling in forms will give NHS units more time for activities which have a greater bearing on direct patient care.
All statistical returns from the NHS are being continually reviewed.