§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what routine supervision is exercised by her Department over hospital and health authority workload and caseload performances in England.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe National Health Service Management Executive—NHSME—holds regional health authorities—RHAs—to account for their performance on the basis of agreed corporate contracts. Corporate contracts reflect both national and regional priorities and purchasing plans agreed by district health authorities, family health services authorities and, where appropriate, general practitioner fundholders. Performance is monitored through formal submissions—corporate contracts and quarterly returns—and continuous reviews between the NHSME's performance management teams and regional managers. This review process culminates in annual meetings held between the chief executive of the NHSME and each regional general manager and chairman. Issues outside corporate contracts are also raised with RHAs as appropriate to ensure performance is satisfactory.