§ Mr. RosindellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the treatment of English patients in other EU countries. [28019]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 22 January 2002): In the light of rulings of the European Court of Justice, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in August 2001 that national health service health authorities and trusts could commission treatment for their patients overseas. Since October 2001 three test-bed sites in the south east of England have been working through the legal and practical issues involved in sending patients abroad. The first patients to go abroad for routine NHS-funded surgery travelled to Lille on 18 January. By the end of the test bed scheme in March this year around 200 patients are likely to have travelled to France and Germany for treatment. Guidance for the NHS will be published, based on the experience of the test bed sites.
The Department plans to launch a tender exercise later this year for surgical procedures overseas, as part of its wider strategy to reduce waiting times and enhance patient choice.
It is also possible for patients to be referred to Europe under the long-standing E112 arrangements described on pages 36-37 of the Department of Health leaflet "Health Advice for Travellers", copies of which are available in the Library and to the public from post offices.