§ Lord Kilmarnockasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Director of the Institute of Health Services Management was correct in his letter to The Times of 20th November, in which he states that management and administration still account for only 2 per cent. of the overall NHS budget, even taking into account the new posts created to introduce the reforms since 1991; what proportion of these posts will be permanent and what proportion are transitional; and what is the estimated effect on manpower of the abolition of regional health authorities.
§ Baroness CumberlegeThe Director of the Institute of Health Services Management was correct in acknowledging the substantial developements and improvements that have taken place in patient care in recent years. General and senior managers were introduced before the reforms because the National Health Service was clearly undermanaged. They now make up about 2 per cent. of the total workforce and their salaries represent only 1.3 per cent. of the total budget. Information about particular posts is not available centrally. The effect on manpower of the abolition of regional health authorities is not yet known.