HC Deb 20 May 1980 vol 985 cc153-4W
Mr. Pavitt

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if item 3(e) of the annual losses and compensation statements of the four Thames regional hospital boards includes the non-payment of charges for private hospital beds; and if in the 1979 accounts, which show no losses in this section for the North West, South East and South West boards and the area authorities, they received all the sums due in the teaching hospital sector.

Dr. Vaughan

The losses statements submitted by regional health authorities record only the losses of those authorities themselves. Any write-off of uncollected charges for the use of private patient facilities in NHS hospitals would be included among the claims abandoned and bad debts recorded at item 3(b) of the losses statement submitted by the area health authority or board of governors to which the charges were payable. Losses statements for 1978–79, submitted by 22 area health authorities and 11 boards of governors in the Thames regions, record losses against item 3(b) but the extent to which the figures included any amounts in respect of unpaid charges for private beds are not separately identified in the accounts submitted to the Department.