HC Deb 14 March 1995 vol 256 cc545-6W
22. Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GP fundholders practices will pilot total purchasing for fundholders in Anglia and Oxford region, and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Malone

I welcome the fact that 12 practices in four separate pilot projects, covering a total population of 159,000 will pilot total purchasing in anglia and Oxford region and will take part in the national evaluation programme. Fundholders and health authorities are working in partnership and have made clear their commitment to this important project in which general practitioners will take responsibility for purchasing all hospital and community health care for their patients.

Mr. Matthew Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to extend GP fundholding; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Malone

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Lady Olga Maitland) earlier today.

Mr. Milburn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 17 January,Official Report, column 401, if she will now publish information for 1993–94 on general practitioner fundholders' savings, by region.

Mr. Malone

[holding answer 14 February 1995]: The information requested is shown in the table. Nationally, retained savings equalled £64.2 million in 1993–94, about 3.5 per cent. of budgets set–similar to the levels of efficiency savings made by fundholders in the first two years of the scheme.

Savings are held by family health services authorities on behalf of the patients of fundholders. They may be retained for up to four years, to be used for the benefit of patients of the practice as outlined in the practice's annual business plan.

Region 1993–94 Retained savings (£ million) Percentage of budgets set
Northern 5.0 4.0
Yorkshire 7.6 3.8
Trent 5.1 2.4
East Anglia 2.5 2.9
North West Thames 6.6 4.6
North East Thames 2.8 4.2
South East Thames 3.7 2.9
South West Thames 3.8 3.6
Wessex 2.6 2.6
Oxford 4.2 3.6
South Western 3.1 2.7
West Midlands 9.9 4.7

Region 1993–94 Retained Savings (£ million) Percentage of budgets set
Mersey 4.6 3.4
North Western 3.0 3.0
England 64.2 3.5

Note:

Retained savings may not sum to England total due to rounding.

Source:

Regional Health Authorities.