HC Deb 11 February 1993 vol 218 cc748-9W
Mr. Milburn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will review her Department's guidelines on the prevention of queue-jumping by general practitioner fund holders

Dr. Mawhinney

The joint guidance issued to hospital consultants on general practitioner fund holding on 11 June 1991 by the Department of Health and the Joint Consultants Committee, (Circular EL (91)84), is still valid and a review is not required. It states that:

  1. (i) common waiting lists should be used by provider units for urgent and seriously ill patients, and for highly specialised diagnosis and treatment;
  2. (ii) contract portfolios should be flexible and be worked out in close consultation with the hospital clinicians who have to deliver them;
  3. (iii) provider units should not offer contracts subject to (i) and (ii) which would disadvantage the patients of other purchasers.

Copies of the circular EL(91)84 are available in the Library.

Mr. Jack Thompson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of patients registered with fund-holding practices are over pensionable age; and what is the corresponding proportion in the general population.

Dr. Mawhinney

Provisional figures for England in 1991, the latest available, from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys show that 13.08 per cent. of males and 23.55 per cent. of females in the general population are over pension age. Comparable figures for fund-holding practices are not available centrally.

Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements she has made to monitor the financial procedures and health care quality of fund-holding general practitioner practices; and if she will make a statement.

Dr. Mawhinney

Under the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990, regional health authorities have primary responsibility for the management and monitoring of the scheme. Regulations require fund holders to manage the fund efficiently and effectively and to submit income and expenditure returns regularly to family health service authorities. Their accounts are subject to external audit by the Audit Commission.

Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many fund-holding general practitioner practices(a) are running and (b) have approval from her Department in (i) Cheltenham and (ii) Gloucestershire; and if she will make a statement.

Dr. Mawhinney

The South Western regional health authority is responsible for the management of the general practitioner fundholding scheme in these areas. The hon. Member may wish to contact Ms. Rennie Fritchie, the RHA chairman, for details.