Health Services Information (Hansard, 12 April 1984)

§ Mr. John Patten

My right hon. Friend is today issuing a circular to health authorities asking them to draw up plans for putting into effect the recommendations of the steering group on health services information, chaired by Mrs. E. Körner. Copies of the circular are being placed in the Library.

The steering group is aiming to complete by the summer a series of six reports recommending improvements in the information available to National Health Service management about hospital and community services, manpower and finance. Its first report, concerning hospital services, has already been published and its second report, concerning patient transport services, is being published today. Copies of both reports are in the Library of the House. The remaining reports will be published as soon as possible after they have been submitted to my right hon. Friend.

Health authority managers need information about the services for which they are responsible and about the resources of money and manpower which go into providing those services. It has long been recognised that the information currently available to NHS management is inadequate. It is too often incomplete, inaccurate and out of date. The result is that district and unit managers are not as well equipped as they should be to plan, budget and review their performance in the ways we are asking of them.

It is in the interests of the efficient and effective delivery of patient care to put this right. The steering group's recommendations are designed to do so, and on a consistent and compatible basis so that the information needs of regions, Ministers and Parliament can also be met. In preparing its proposals the steering group has 382W drawn on the knowledge and experience of many people at all levels of the NHS. They have also consulted widely, in particular through the publication of interim reports.

My right hon. and right hon. and learned Friends and I have discussed with regional health authority chairmen the implementation of the steering group's work, and have agreed with them that it should proceed as a matter of urgency. This is a substantial task, and will take time. The circular asks health authorities to plan on the basis that most of the steering group's recommendations should he implemented by April 1987 and the remainder by April 1988.

There will be transitional costs involved in introducing the new information systems, but these cannot yet be assessed with any precision. Regional health authorities are being asked to indicate the likely financial and manpower consequences in the strategic plans which they have been asked to complete by March 1985. Ministers and regional chairmen are satisfied that the costs can be borne within the health authority allocations.

My right hon. and right hon. and learned Friends and I are very grateful to Mrs. Körner and her steering group for the work that they have done and are still doing in this complex and important field. We are in no doubt that making a reality of their work will play an essential part in our drive for a modern NHS.