§ Mr. Charles Irving asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what consultations he held in Gloucestershire with local bodies, staff and union organisations concerned and the area health authority before he reached a decision on separation into two districts;
§ (2) what were the special grounds on which he based his decision to separate the Gloucestershire area health authority into two districts, having regard to the restructuring of the health services and the continuance of other larger authorities as a single health authority;
§ (3) whether his decision in respect of the Gloucestershire area health authority was based in any way on a failure to fulfil its proper function as outlined in "Patients First"; and, if so, if he will identify the evidence upon which he reached this view;
§ (4) what will be the cost of separating the present Gloucestershire area authority and setting up two district authorities, including additional consultants; and what will be the cost of separating the joint para-medical services;
§ (5) how many additional people will be involved in the setting up of two district authorities consequential upon his decision in respect of the Gloucestershire area health authority.
§ Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg:Our reasons for believing that smaller, more locally based, health authorities will 268W provide a better more responsive structure for the NHS are set out in "Patients First". Features we have emphasised include local involvement, short chains of decision, and members of authorities who have a direct knowledge and interest in the services for which they are responsible. The Gloucestershire area health authority did its best under difficult circumstances and I am happy to pay tribute to it. We have however decided that two district health authorities based on Cheltenham and Gloucester will provide a structure more akin to the philosophies set out in "Patients First".
In coming to this decision, we had the benefit of the wide-ranging consultations carried out by the South-Western regional health authority and our own soundings.
Until the new authorities are formally established and decide the form of management and other arrangements best suited to their responsibilities, no estimate can be made of the direct cost of establishing two authorities or of any extra staff that may be involved. Overall, as a result of restructuring, the proportion of NHS resources devoted to management costs in South-Western region will, as elsewhere, be reduced as appropriate to achieve the national reduction of 10 per cent. that we have laid down.
Mr. Charles Irving asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many area health authorities had higher, and how many lower, administration or management costs than Gloucestershire area health authority in the last year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg:The Department collects management costs information only on a regional basis, so it is not available centrally in the form requested. I shall write to my hon. Friend shortly about administration costs.