§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what systems are in place to guarantee that hospitals cannot offer contracts to one purchaser which would disadvantage the patients of another purchaser; and if he will make a statement on the methods of detection and correction in place. [35523]
§ Mr. SackvilleJoint guidance issued by the Department of Health and the Joint Consultants Committee in 1991 said that provider units may not offer contracts to one purchaser which would disadvantage the patients of other purchasers. Compliance with this, as with other departmental guidance, is secured through the normal performance management processes.