§ Mr. DavidsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to reduce waste in the national health service. [23431]
§ Mr. MilburnWe are committed to ensuring that the new National Health Service uses its resources both efficiently and effectively to deliver high quality services. The White Paper sets out a programme of action to sweep away the bureaucracy of the internal market. Over the lifetime of this parliament, £1 billion that would otherwise have been spent on bureaucracy will be released for patient care.
Last October we announced that the NHS Efficiency Task Force, set up to consider the scope for making short-term savings, would become a permanent body examining the scope for savings through systems and processes in the NHS, and sharing best practice with the health service.