NHS Value-for-money Unit (Hansard, 16 January 1992)

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the remit of the NHS value-for-money unit and its programme of work for 1992.

§ Mr. Nicholas Bennett
The NHS value-for-money unit operates within the framework of the strategic intent and direction for the NHS in Wales which dedicates the organisation to the pursuit of health gain and the continuous development of people-centred, resource effective health services. Within this framework, the unit's mission is to add value to the use of resources and to encourage enterprise in the delivery of health services.
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The main initiatives which the unit will be pursuing in 1992 include: helping providers of service compare their performance with the best; helping managers improve the monitoring of service delivery by focusing on high level indicators; reviewing progress and adding impetus to cash-releasing cost improvement and income generation programmes; undertaking all-Wales reviews; helping the NHS in Wales develop overseas trading activities and the commercial exploitation of innovative ideas and products; establishing the clinical resource utilisation group; reviewing progress and adding impetus to the market testing initiative.
More information is provided in chapter 9 of the document "NHS Wales: Agenda for Action 2" published in December 1991; a copy of which has been placed in the Vote Office and in the Library of the House.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to receive the report from the value-for-money unit on the cost-effectiveness of the treatment centre at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital, Cardiff; and if he will give the terms of reference for the value-for-money unit's exercise.

§ Mr. Nicholas Bennett
The study at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital is part of a wider evaluation of the treatment centre initiative as a whole. The purpose of the study is to assess the potential of treatment centres to deliver health care services cost-effectively and also the options for the future funding of such centres. The aim is to complete this exercise before the end of the current financial year.