§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rate of outsourcing of surgical interventions has been in the last 12 months. [57155]
§ Mr. HuttonBased on a survey of national health service organisations carried out in October 2001, we estimate that in the first six months of 2001–02 the number of surgical procedures carried out by independent providers on behalf of the NHS was equivalent to around 1.2 per cent. of total NHS acute elective in-patient and day-case surgical activity.