§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) who were the members of the sub-committee of the members of the board of Ayrshire and Arran health board which oversaw the negotiations between Irvine Healthcare Ltd. and the health board prior to the conclusion of the current contract; [29697]
(2) when Ayrshire and Arran health board first entered negotiations with Irvine Healthcare Ltd. on the provision of a replacement facility for Ravenspark hospital; [29689]
(3) when the members of the board of Ayrshire and Arran health board approved the contract with Irvine Healthcare Ltd.; and when the contract with the company was formally concluded; [29680]
(4) if he will make available the detail of the agreement between Ayrshire and Arran health board and Irvine Healthcare Ltd. as regards the siting of the company's facility within the grounds of Ayrshire central hospital and the financial agreement allowing the lease of the site from the Ayrshire and Arran Community NHS Healthcare trust and the period covered by the contract with the company; [29696]
(5) what current contracts exist between Ayrshire and Arran health board and private and independent sectors for the provision of care beds to the NHS ounder contract; what are the companies involved in these contracts; what is the value of the individual contracts, and when they will lapse; [29684]
428W(6) what investigations Ayrshire and Arran health board has carried out into the patient care record of Irvine Healthcare Ltd.; and what monitoring processes will be put in place to ensure effective standards of patient care; [29686]
(7) what process was adopted by the Ayrshire and Arran health board to publicise its interest in involving the private sector in the building of the replacement facility at Ravenspark hospital; and what private companies indicated their interest in this contract; [29690]
(8) how Irvine Healthcare Ltd. first indicated an interest with the Ayrshire and Arran health board as regards its involvement with a replacement facility for Ravenspark hospital. [29692]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 21 June 1995]: These matters are for Ayrshire and Arran health board. The hon. Member may wish to write to the general manager of the board.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will instruct Ayrshire and Arran health board to make publicly available copies of its contract with Irvine Healthcare Ltd. [29681]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 21 June 1995]: No.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what current guidance exists and what guidance existed between 1993 and the present time to Scottish health boards relating to the tendering arrangements for medical facilities within the NHS. [29683]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 21 June 1995]: Various guidance exists on appraising projects and the private finance initiative. Guidance will shortly be issued on tendering arrangements for privately financed projects.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps Ayrshire and Arran health board has taken to appoint a new general manager; and whether any decision has been taken on his successor. [29685]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 21 June 1995]: Ayrshire and Arran health board is actively considering the arrangements for a successor to Mr. J. M. Eckford OBE who retires later this year. Part of these arrangements will be public advertisement of the post. No decisions have been taken on Mr. Eckford's successor.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to begin the consultation on the closure of Ravenspark hospital; and what steps Ayrshire and Arran health board have taken to prepare the arrangements for the consultation process. [29687]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 21 June 1995]: Consultations on hospital closures are the responsibility of the health board concerned. Ayrshire and Arran health board is aware of the requirements for consultation set out in NHS circular GEN(1975)46.
The final decision on any hospital closure in Scotland rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance was issued to Ayrshire and Arran health board prior to 24 February 1993 by the national 429W health service management executive concerning entering into long-term contracts with the private or independent sectors for the provision of continuing care beds; and whether this guidance is compatible with the board's decision to conclude a contract with Irvine Healthcare Ltd. for the provision of a replacement facility for Ravenspark hospital. [29691]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 21 June 1995]: The NHS management executive advised the board in late 1992 that it should not enter into long-term contracts with the private sector which would constrain its ability to meet changing needs. It gave approval to conclude the contract with Irvine Care Ltd. on 13 July 1994.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what representations Ayrshire and Arran health board received from the Ayrshire and Arran Community Healthcare NHS trust as regards the board's negotiations with Irvine Healthcare Ltd. for the provision of a replacement facility for Ravenspark hospital; [29693]
(2) what representations the Scottish Office or the national health service management executive has received from the Ayrshire and Arran Community Healthcare NHS trust on the contract between Ayrshire and Arran health board and Irvine Healthcare Ltd. [29682]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 21 June 1995]: The chief executive of the trust wrote on 9 February 1995 and received a response from the director of trusts in the NHS management executive on 3 March 1995.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the involvement of the National Health Service Management Executive in the conclusion of the contract between Ayrshire and Arran health board and Irvine Healthcare Ltd.; and on what specific issues they made representations to the health board about this contract; [29695]
(2) what discussions the Scottish Office had with Ayrshire and Arran health board relating to its contract with Irvine Healthcare Ltd.; and what was the subject of these discussions. [29675]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 21 June 1995]: The NHS management executive has had a number of discussions with officers of the health board between late 1992 and the present. They concerned the health board's assessment of the needs of its local population for the service to be provided under this contract, the quality of the service and its value for money.
Conclusion of the contract was a matter for the health board.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the private and independent sectors concerning the provision of continuing care beds to the NHS and their involvement in private finance initiatives. [29674]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 20 June 1995]: My officials have had a number of discussions with various parties interested in the private finance initiative. Such discussions are of a general nature.
430WThe commissioning of particular schemes is the responsibility of the health board or NHS trust concerned.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment his Department and the national health service management executive has made of the financial terms of Ayrshire and Arran health board's contract with Irvine Healthcare Ltd. [29676]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 21 June 1995]: The health board submitted an option appraisal covering the project to the NHS management executive. This was considered by the NHS management executive in line with normal procedures.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Scottish Office and the National Health Service Management Executive gave final approval to Ayrshire and Arran health board to the contract which it has concluded with Irvine Healthcare Ltd. [29677]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe NHS management executive wrote to the general manager of Ayrshire and Arran health board on 13 July 1994 giving approval for the contract to he concluded.
Mr. DonhoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if Irvine Healthcare Ltd. or its parent company Speciality Care PLC are currently involved in negotiations with any Scottish health boards other than Ayrshire and Arran concerning the provision of long-term care beds under contract to the NHS. [29678]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 21 June 1995]: This information is not held centrally. Negotiations on contracts are a matter for individual health boards.
Mr. DonhoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration underlay the decision to exclude the Ayrshire and Arran Community Healthcare NHS trust from tendering for the replacement facility for Ravenspark hospital; and if this decision was in line with guidance from the national health service management executive at that time. [29694]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 21 June 1995]: The Ayrshire and Arran Community Healthcare NHS trust was not established when tendering took place. The trust was established in April 1993.
Tendering submissions were made in late 1991.