§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will indicate which community health councils in Wales will merge on the proposed reorganisation of the National Health Service in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristThe proposal contained in the White Paper is for the establishment of one community health council in each district health authority area in Wales. However, no decisions have yet been taken and a consultation document on the matter will be published in the summer.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the hospitals in Wales which(a) he has earmarked for, (b) he has received representations for or (c) fulfil his criteria for self-governing status; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristWelsh Office officials are engaged in discussions with health authorities officers about the concept of self-governing hospitals. No hospitals have been identified as candidates for self-governing status at this stage.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he proposes to meet the chairmen of family practitioner committees in Wales to discuss the White Paper "Working for Patients";
(2) when he last met family practitioner committees in Wales to discuss health matters; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristMy right hon. Friend met chairmen of family practitioner committees on 15 May to discuss the White Paper "Working for Patients". I meet chairmen from time to time to talk about a range of health matters. The last such meeting was on 11 December 1987.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the implications of the new general practitioners' contracts for rural practices in Wales.
§ Mr. GristDuring discussion with representatives of GPs on 4 May a number of modifications to the new GP 647W contract were agreed which are of special relevance to rural practices for example the 26-hour rule, payment for minor surgery and the criteria for payment of basic practice allowance. Furthermore, it was agreed that the operation of the rural practice payment scheme should be referred for review to the central advisory committee on that scheme. This agreement makes clear that Health Ministers have taken account of the concerns expressed by the profession not least in respect of rural areas, and implementation of the contract as proposed will be an important step towards achieving our objectives of raising even higher the standard of the family doctor service and the care patients can expect to receive.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if, in the light of the written representations he has received concerning the National Health Service reform proposals from Alyn and Deeside, he will undertake to meet both the Clwyd area health authority and the Clwyd family practitioner committee; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristI met the chairmen of both Clwyd DHA and FPC in the company of their DHA and FPC chairmen colleagues on 15 May to discuss the NHS review White Paper.