§ Mr. McLoughlinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will state the terms of reference of the National Health Service Policy Board, and the role and responsibilities of the National Health Service Management Executive.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeAt its first meeting on 7 July the NHS policy board, established as a result of the White Paper "Working for Patients", adopted the following terms of reference
Key principlesThe NHS Policy Board advises the Secretary of State on policy formulation for the NHS and the strategic oversight of the NHS. It does not concern itself with management responsibilities and operational detail, which are delegated from the Secretary of State to the NHS Management Executive.FunctionsIn the light of these principles, the Board's functions are to:
- 1. support Ministers by bring both NHS and wider management perspectives to bear on the formulation of policy objectives for the NHS;
- 2. advise Ministers on the determination of the strategy within which the Management Executive will operate;
- 3. advise Ministers on the desirability and feasibility of operational objectives proposed for the Management Executive;
- 4. monitor the Management Executive's stewardship and performance.
Relationships with the Department of HealthThe Policy Board draws on the advice and support of all those Divisions in the Department of Health which have responsibility for the development of policies applied in and through the NHS. It is particularly concerned with the overall pattern and balance of policies for the NHS, and with assessing the effectiveness of their implementation, not with the detailed formulation of specific polices.It also agreed the Written Statement of the role and responsibilities of the NHS management executive, a copy of which I have placed in the Library.