§ Mr. Staintonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement regarding his policy on proposals from regional or area health authorities to regroup areas or districts both as part of and supplementary to his call for savings of 5 per cent.; and if he will indicate the kind of support which any such proposals should have to merit the attention he is giving to one from Merseyside.
§ Mr. MoyleThe Government have made it clear that they do not favour any general reorganisation of the National Health Service at this stage. Where, however, a health authority considers that structural changes in its locality—for example, changes in district boundaries —would lead to more effective or more economical delivery of services, we would be willing to consider changes, provided that there had been the fullest possible consultation with all those likely to be affected by the proposals, notably local authorities, community health councils, teams of officers, staff representatives and professional advisory committees. But I could not give any general undertaking on the kind of support which might secure consent to change; each proposal would need to be considered on its own merits.
§ Mr. Staintonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether broadly backed proposals from Suffolk regarding the rôles and costs of the area and district health authorities could be encouraged by him to serve as one of a number of pilot schemes to guide the Royal Commission in its deliberations.
§ Mr. MoyleI should not favour change merely on the ground that it provided an 227W opportunity for experience through experiment. But we should certainly be willing to consider proposals from Suffolk which could lead to more effective or economical delivery of services, provided that there had been the fullest possible consultation with all those likely to be affected by the proposals.