HC Deb 26 October 2001 vol 373 cc419-20W
Helen Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients have been treated in European countries under the NHS international scheme this year. [8668]

Ms Blears

Under European Commission Regulation 1408/71, it has long been possible for individual patients to be referred to all countries of the European Economic Area for specific treatment, at the expense of the sending country. A system of prior authorisation applies. Between 1 January 2001 and 16 October 2001, 920 such referrals were authorised.

Following recent rulings of the European Court of Justice, national health service bodies now have the power to commission treatment overseas, as part of their wider efforts to reduce waiting times. However, as far as we are aware no contracts have yet been signed to fund treatment for NHS patients in mainland Europe.

Helen Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what finance his Department is able to make available to NHS patients travelling to EU countries for treatment under the NHS international scheme in the current financial year. [8669]

Ms Blears

There is no separate finance for national health service patients travelling to European Union countries for treatment. The E112 scheme allows NHS patients to travel abroad specifically to receive treatment in European Economic Area countries on the same conditions as the host country's own insured people, subject to a prior authorisation regime. There were 1,100 such authorisations in 2000. There is no set annual budget for this scheme.

Following recent rulings of the European Court of Justice, NHS bodies now have the power to commission treatment in EEA countries, as part of their wider efforts to reduce waiting times. However, NHS bodies meet any costs arising from such commissioning from their own budgets.