HC Deb 15 February 1990 vol 167 cc395-7W
Mr. Ian Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has any plans to reduce the number of district health authorities.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Any proposal to reduce the number of district health authorities within a region has to be considered by the regional health authority concerned and submitted to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State. Each case is subject to full public consultation and my right hon. and learned Friend needs to be convinced that there is a compelling case for change before approving it. The Health Service reforms are about concentrating management where it matters, not about widespread restructuring.

Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy towards promotion by the South West regional health authority regional general manager of the amalgamation of North Devon district health authority, Exeter district health authority or Torbay district health authority with each other, or with any other district health authority or district health authorities in the context of the National Health Service structure after reorganisation; and what information he has as to the policy of the South West regional health authority.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Any proposals to merge health authorities would need to be subject to full consultation by the regional health authority. We would expect there to be broad agreement that any proposed merger would be in the interests of the population served. Any recommendations arising out of the consultation would be considered by my right hon. and learned Friend, who would need to be convinced that there were compelling reasons for the change before approving it. The South Western regional health authority has not formulated a policy on this matter.

Mr. Robin Cook

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the minimum notice that a district health authority will be required to give to terminate a block contract for health care.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The duration of any contract will be a matter for negotiation and agreement between the contracting parties. However, the Department has advised that for block contracts the norm should be for three year initial contracts with a further 12 months extension negotiated annually. This would ensure that both parties received at least two years notice of any proposal for significant change.

Mr. Robin Cook

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures the Government intend to take to monitor the effects of the proposed changes in the National Health Service on(a) the quality of care provided, (b) the quantity of care provided, (c) the degree to which provision meets needs for care and (d) the travelling time of patients to obtain care.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The proposed system of contract placement will allow district health authorities to specify the nature and quality of services and ensure that patient services are of a satisfactory standard. It will be for the National Health Service management executive to satisfy itself, and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State, that high and improved standards of care are provided as our proposals are implemented. We have asked it to devise suitable methods of monitoring Health Service provision to achieve this.

Mr. Winnick

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply of 12 February sent to the hon. Member for Walsall, North,Official Report, columns 22–25, what form of consultation has so far occurred over hospitals opting out of the existing National Health Service management structures; and if he will give the result of such consultation area by area.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Formal consultation on proposals to establish NHS trusts cannot take place until after the necessary legislation has received Royal Assent. Information is not available centrally on any informal consultation by units which have expressed an interest in trust status.