§ Mr. Gwilym Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Wales if the statutory audit review of the management of private practice in the National Health Service in Wales has been completed; and what action he proposes to take as a consequence.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsAt my Department's request the NHS auditor for Wales has carried out in all nine district health authorities in Wales statutory audit reviews covering private practice, category II charges and travel and subsistence. His reports of these reviews have now been made to the Department and copies of each report sent by the Department to the chairman of the district health authority concerned for consideration by the authority and comment within a two-month period.
Responses from authorities indicating the action they are taking are being submitted to the Department which, together with the NHS auditor for Wales, is considering them. The Department and the statutory auditor will continue to monitor the action being taken by authorities on the reports until we are satisfied that the weaknesses identified have been remedied. The auditor will be checking on the actions taken during his next audit of each authority. In the light of the problems identified in these reports, in conjunction with my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Health and after consultation with the medical profession, we will be issuing revised guidance to authorities on the management of private practice in the NHS.