§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his Department's policy regarding private patients having hospital laboratory tests and investigations carried out on the National Health Service; if he will take steps to ensure that this does not happen; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. VaughanPrivate in-patients pay an all-inclusive pay bed charge which covers the cost of all hospital services, including laboratory tests and investigations. The position so far as private out-patients is concerned is set out in a health circular sent to health authorities in March 1980 as follows:—
Once a patient elects to attend an NHS hospital as a private non-resident patient—under section 66—for a particular medical episode then all services—diagnostic and treatment—used by that patient during that out-patient sequence should be provided on a private patient basis, with the appropriate charges being levied. Where a patient eligible for NHS services wishes to discontinue as a private non-resident patient after consultation then the charge for consultation should be levied and he should seek access to NHS out-patient facilities as an NHS patient in the usual way.I shall send the hon. Member a copy of the circular.