§ Dr. MurrisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the pilot scheme to refer NHS patients overseas for elective surgery. [73780]
§ Mr. HuttonThe pilot scheme for treating National Health Services patients in other countries in the European Economic Area was evaluated by the York Health Economics Consortium. Their evaluation has been published and is available on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/international and the Library.
§ Dr. MurrisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 22 July, ref 68035, what quality checks are in place for elective operations performed abroad under contract to the NHS. [73781]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Department has established lead commissioning arrangements for overseas healthcare capacity. Guy's and St. Thomas' National Health Service Trust is responsible for finding high quality elective treatment capacity and providers of clinical teams to come to this country in Austria, Belgium, Germany, and northern Europe. Kent and Medway816W Health Authority is responsible for finding treatment capacity and providers of clinical teams in France, Spain and more southerly countries.
The Department has advised NHS primary care trusts and NHS trusts to approach one of the two NHS lead commissioners if they wish to arrange for treatment for patients abroad.
In selecting hospitals in other countries in the European Economic Area to treat NHS patients the lead commissioners take into account relevant paper evidence and visit hospitals where patients may potentially be treated. Quality requirements are set out in the contracts agreed between the lead commissioners and the hospitals abroad. The Department has asked the lead commissioners to ensure that contracts with overseas healthcare providers will require them to afford reasonable access to the Commission for Health Improvement and other appropriate bodies.