§ 16. Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the change in the number of administrators in the health service since the abolition of the regional health authorities. [14742]
§ Mr. MaloneThis information will not be centrally available until later this year. The Government are determined to tackle unnecessary bureaucracy and to secure maximum improvements in health care. The simplification and streamlining of national health service management through the merger of district health authorities and family health services authorities, the abolition of regional health authorities, the reduction in the running costs of the Department of Health and the measures announced in October 1995 to reduce trust management costs and health authority running costs reflect the Government's determination to achieve this aim. In all these measures will release some £300 million for direct patient care.