Health Common Services Authority (Hansard, 31 January 1995)

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority concerning the timetable for the running down of the stores service in Gwynedd and the establishment of the new service in Clwyd.

§ Mr. Redwood
None.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place copies in the Library of his departmental letter of 24 January to consultees on the future management arrangements of the clinical side of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority.

§ Mr. Redwood
Copies of DGM(95)4 consulting on the future management arrangements of these clinical services have been placed in the Library of the House.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority concerning the increase in the share out of savings offered to the Gwynedd Hospitals NHS trust to secure its agreement to the closure of the Ysbyty Gwynedd site on 31 March.

§ Mr. Redwood
None. There are no plans to close Ysbyty Gwynedd.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the current review of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority Department of contracting and capital in north Wales; and when he expects the review's findings will be published.

§ Mr. Redwood
These matters are currently the subject of discussions between the Welsh Health Common Services Authority and its customers. The outcome of these discussions advising the future handling arrangements is expected in the autumn.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had and proposes to have with the British Limbless Ex-Servicemens Association 639W concerning the proposed changes in the management arrangements for the artificial limb and appliance service.

§ Mr. Redwood
The British Limbless Ex-Servicemens Association is one of the organisations currently being consulted about the proposed management arrangements for the artificial limb and appliance service.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place a copy in the Library of each of the service evaluations of the financial and non-financial implications of change in the future management arrangements of the clinical side of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority by each clinical branch of the authority.

§ Mr. Redwood
Copies of the evaluation reports produced by each of the clinical services have been placed in the Library of the House.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the assets considered liable to transfer from the Welsh Health Common Services Authority under the proposed new management arrangements for the artificial limb and appliance service Wales and Breast Test Wales; what arrangements he is making for an independent valuation of those assets; and what estimate he has made to date of the fair valuation of any or all of such a list of assets.

§ Mr. Redwood
Established procedures governing the transfer of assets will be implemented once decisions are taken about the future management arrangements of BTW and ALAS.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance he has given to the group director of the artificial limb and appliance service Wales and the director of Breast Test Wales concerning the applicability of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to the proposed changes in management arrangements; what provisions he has had for expert legal advice to be given to them in the discharge of their personnel function following new management arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Redwood
It is for the Welsh Health Common Services Authority to take legal and other advice at the appropriate time.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he is proposing for the publication of the views of the staff of the artificial limb and appliance service and Breast Test Wales concerning the proposed new manning arrangements.

§ Mr. Redwood
Subject to individual confidentiality and requests being received, arrangements can be made to publish responses to the consultation exercise.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what arrangements he has made for separating those aspects of the artificial limb and appliance service in Wales which are regarded as suitable(a) for separating into three area-based services located at Rookwood, Morriston and Wrexham-Maelor hospitals and (b) only for a single site all-Wales provision under the options review for the clinical side of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority;
(2) what consultations he is undertaking with respect to the arrangements for ring-fencing of the sums repatriated to the district health authorities equivalent to those currently allocated for purchasing by the artificial limb and appliance service in Wales;
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(3) what consultations he is carrying out on the length of time and detailed arrangements for ring-fencing the resources to be repatriated to district health authorities for the purchase of breast screening services;
(4) what is his current estimate of the time for further guidance on contracting for artificial limb and appliance service and Breast Test Wales services;
(5) what consultations he has had with the management of Breast Test Wales concerning the required time period for ring-fencing of the funding for purchasing breast cancer screening services after repatriation of those funds to district health authorities, arising from the need to complete and evaluate the first round national screening programme; and how long he has given them and other consultees to express views on the suggested length and administration of the protection period for the funding of the service;
(6) what are the arrangements for health authorities to consult each other with a view to setting up consortium or lead-purchasing arrangements for the artificial limb and appliance service; what consultation he has had with the management at the artificial limb and appliance service in relation to the pooling of purchasing arrangements; and what evaluation he has made of its benefits.

§ Mr. Redwood
Decisions on these issues will be taken in the light of the results of consultation.