§ Mr. FatchettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what examination her Department has made of the compliance of the consultancy with the firm Madgenix formerly held by Dr. Ian Barnes at the Leeds general infirmary department of chemical pathology, with her Department's circular HM/62/21; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. SackvilleAllegations concerning this consultancy were the subject of an investigation by the internal auditors of Leeds Western health authority in 1989. An independent consultancy conducted the internal audit. The allegations were not substantiated.
Recent restatements of the allegations by the Management Science and Finance Union have now been referred to the internal auditors by the board of the United Leeds teaching hospitals NHS trust.
§ Mr. FatchettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action her Department has taken since the statutory auditor's report on the department on chemical pathology at Leeds general infirmary in 1987; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe Department sought an assurance from Yorkshire regional health authority that the matters contained in the 1987 statutory auditor's report were being addressed. The region reported to the Department in December 1989 that following an internal review, the then Leeds Western health authority had introduced revised procedures for the management of pathology services. The region was satisfied with the district's response to the audit criticisms.