§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Association of Community Health Councils with respect to the availability of services to the patients of general practitioner fundholders, including the availability of hospital consultants for out-patient appointments at health centres and general practitioners' surgeries, what consultations he has had in relation to the clinical evaluation of such services; what proposals he has to extend the availability of any such services as are deemed clinically worthwhile to the patients of non-fundholding general practitioners; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Redwood[holding answer 29 April 1994]: I have not yet seen the paper prepared by the Association of Community Health Councils. When I have, I will consider what it has to say.
It is for health authorities and GP fundholders to evaluate the costs and benefits of the services they secure for patients, including the initiatives that some of them have taken to improve access by arranging for a number of consultant clinics to be held in local health centres and GP surgeries.