§ Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if pre-existing plans for new hospitals, which already include the elements of diagnostic and treatment centres, will be fast-tracked when submitted for capital funding from the diagnostic and treatment centre funding programme; [66825]
(2) what funds his Department plans to make available for the establishing of diagnostic and treatment centres by primary care trusts in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004; [66828]
(3) what the typical allocation of funds will be to a primary care trust to establish a diagnostic and treatment centre; and on what basis this will be calculated; [66829]
(4) when he expects to announce the first tranche of diagnostic and treatment centres to be established by primary care trusts; [66830]
(5) what his policy is on the establishment of diagnostic and treatment centres by primary care trusts. [66827]
§ Mr. HuttonWe committed ourselves in the NHS Plan to having eight diagnostic and treatment centres up and running by 2004 with a further 12 in development.
On 21 February 2002, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, announced the first wave of eight diagnostic and treatment centres. One of these is The Chase Hospital, Bordon, part of the North Hampshire Primary Care Trust. The Department has allocated £700,000 to North Hampshire Primary Care Trust to support this development.
We are now looking to expand and bring forward the diagnostic and treatment centre programme further in order to grow capacity and reduce waiting times. We have asked the NHS to put forward proposals. In certain cases this may result in the acceleration of all or part of existing proposals for hospital development. The proposals may also include additional diagnostic and treatment centres established by primary care trusts.
Capital funding will be available to support the development of some of these diagnostic and treatment centres. Some proposals will involve working with, and/or funding from the private sector.