§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment the Scottish Office has made of the extent to which differential treatment is being offered to national health service patients dependent on whether they are the patients of general practitioner fundholders; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StewartUnder the rules governing contracts in the NHS under the procedural manual on contracting, together with the procedural manual on general practice fund-holding, copies of which are being placed in the Libraries of the House, GP fundholders may enter into contracts to develop new services or improve standards of care for their own patients provided only that as a consequence they do not directly disadvantage national health service patients being referred to the provider from other GP practices.
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§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance the Scottish Office has issued to NHS trusts on the financial incentives which they can offer to general practitioner fundholders in order to secure contracts for treating their patients; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StewartSection 6.7 of the procedural manual on contracting sets out the rules on costing and pricing of contracts by NHS trusts for all purchasers including GP fundholders. Contract prices should always reflect full costs calculated in accordance with the general principles set out in the manual.