§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his reply of 6 February,Official Report, column 551, whose budget any follow-up treatment will be under if a patient who has been referred to a treatment centre outside his/her own health authority to receive initial treatment, is examined at facilities other than the said treatment centre following the agreement of the referring consultant; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristIf, with the agreement of the referring consultant, a patient from a treatment centre receives follow-up treatment in his or her home health authority, then the cost will be charged to that authority. This will still leave the referring authority with a net financial benefit in most instances since the cost of operating on the patient will have been borne by the treatment centre.
§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what plans there are with regard to the non-geriatric care currently provided to patients from Wales by the five community hospitals in Shropshire health authority, following their being sold off and converted to private nursing homes; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what will happen to patients from Wales who are receiving care at the five hospitals in the Shropshire health authority when those hospitals are sold off and converted into private nursing homes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristI refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for Health on 23 February. If Shropshire health authority should decide to proceed with its proposals to change the use of some of its cottage hospitals, it will be required to consult all interested parties, including those Welsh health authorities whose residents may have cause to use the facilities. Welsh health authorities would need to consider what alternative provision might need to be made in the light of any such consultation exercise being undertaken.