§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements he has made with the chairman of Doncaster health authority concerning a smoothing mechanism operating after 1 April in respect of the new budgeting system and the new charging system for cross-border flows of patients to hospitals and clinics.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyDistrict health authorities as commissioners of health services consulted general practitioners in their areas before making contracts with hospital and other providers to reflect their views and existing referral patterns. They are also holding cash reserves for patients referred by general practitioners outside the contractual framework.