§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 28 November,Official Report, column 608, on the support of local clinicians for the provision of clinical or clinical support services by PFI partners, if he will list the clinicians who will be consulted; what criteria he will use to judge the support of local clinicians; how he will determine that he has 198W gained local clinician's support; if he will consult the local British Medical Association and other professional associations; and if he will make a statement. [4113]
§ Mr. HoramGaining staff support, including the support of clinicians, for any proposal for capital development is the responsibility of trust management. This is true whether the development is to be procured through the private finance initiative, or is to be publicly funded. The capital investment manual, copies of which are available in the Library, emphasises the need to involve staff, including clinicians, in the process of developing a business case for capital investment. The full benefits of capital investment can be realised only through the co-operation of staff, and evidence that this will be forthcoming is one of the factors the NHS executive considers before giving its approval for a capital development.