§ Mr. DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 23 November 1992,Official Report, column 503, if she will now announce the results of the review of her Department's requirements for information from the NHS.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyIn order to reduce the burden of form-filling on the national health service, it has been decided that the Department will no longer require the NHS to provide the following returns:
- KH18 Maternity services: GP maternity clinics (only, relates to the few clinics held in hospitals).
- KP20 Summary of ward stays (provides an inappropriate measure of activity)
- KP72 Regular day and night admissions (this information is not used centrally)
- FR19 Purchase of health care from non-NHS bodies and grants to voluntary bodies (this information is not used centrally)
- FR26 Analysis of stocks (this information is not used centrally)
- FR27 Fixed Assets (this information is not used centrally) MAO1 Provider activity (this monthly information was collected on a trial basis and is no longer required for management purposes)
It has also been agreed that the detailed content of other returns should continue to be reviewed to ensure that the burden on the NHS is fully justified. Changes to take effect in April 1994 will be announced in due course.