Regional Health Authorities (Hansard, 6 February 1995)

§ Mr. Malone

The transfer of functions currently carried out by regional health authorities has already been determined in all but two significant areas, in which detailed discussions are still under way.

National Health Service Executive headquarters, with advice from regional offices, will set the strategic framework, make revenue allocations to the new health authorities and make appointments to health authorities and NHS trusts. NHS Executive regional offices will be responsible for performance management of health authorities and NHS trusts and for admissions to the general practitioner fundholder scheme and allocations to GP fundholders. Regional offices will also be responsible through postgraduate deans for commissioning postgraduate medical education and training, for medical work force planning and for GP vocational training.

Consortia of health authorities and NHS trusts will take on responsibility for commissioning non-medical education and training and for non-medical work force planning. They will be supported, especially initially, by the regional offices and by a national strategy set by headquarters. Health authorities will take on purchasing of most specialised services and most public health functions, often on a lead purchaser basis or in consortia. Health authorities will also take on supervision of midwifery practice and responsibility for current RHA functions under the Mental Health Act 1983.

The contracts of junior doctors are under discussion with the profession. Future arrangements for handling complaints will be announced shortly in the light of the Government's response to the report of the Wilson committee.

Full details are contained in the Government document "Managing the New NHS—Functions and Responsibilities in the new NHS" published in July 1994.