§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what restrictions exist on the freedom of general practitioner fundholders and national health service consultants to consider contracts along the lines of those contracted by Trafalgar Medical Services in Sheffield; and what monitoring his Department proposes to undertake of such arrangements.
§ Mr. DorrellGeneral practice fundholders are free to place contracts for the limited range of hospital services covered by the fundholding scheme with providers who they consider will give the best care to their patients.
Where general practice fundholders wish to contract with a non-NHS provider with which any member of the practice is connected, the National Health Service 495W (Fund-holding Practices) (General) Regulations 1991 require the practice to obtain the written consent of the regional health authority. Regional health authorities are expected to consider whether such proposals will provide a proper quality of care for patients and value for money compared with the alternatives available.