HC Deb 16 October 2003 vol 411 cc347-8W
Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many foreign-owned private healthcare providers have pilot programmes with NHS trusts. [131344]

Mr. Hutton

The number of foreign owned private health care providers who are or have undertaken pilot programmes within national health service trusts is not held centrally.

There are, however, a number of primary care trusts (PCTs) who are engaged in programmes with private organisations. These organisations are providing administrative support services to help PCTs design and deliver improved health care. Some of these—such as the work with United Healthcare Group to implement the Evercare model of care for at-risk elderly—are part of the Transformational Change Programme, managed by the National Primary and Care Trust Development Programme (NatPaCT), which aims to help primary care trusts redesign services. However, we do not hold centrally details of all PCTs who have entered into arrangements with private organisations.