§ 49. Mrs. Jill Knightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why a manufacturing unit within the National Health Service has been set up in the west midlands to produce sterile solutions available from industrial concerns.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI understand that a manufacturing unit producing sterile solutions has been in operation in the west midlands since 1976. I have been assured that it complies with the policy guidance that we issued at the beginning of this year to the effect that the NHS should engage in the manufacture of health care products only when it is clearly more economical to do so than to buy them in, or when no suitable product is otherwise available. If sterile solutions were available at a more economic price from industrial concerns, I would expect the health authorities to buy from those sources in order to release resources to finance improved patient care.