§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what comparative assessment she has made of the benefits and costs of joint commissioning and general practitioner fundholding. [15085]
§ Mr. MaloneGeneral practitioner fundholders are able to achieve improved patient benefits because they purchase services directly on behalf of their patients and ensure services are more sensitive to individual patient needs. This is the crucial difference between fundholding and other models of purchasing. Fundholding GPs, like other GPs, should be involved in health authority purchasing.
§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average amount spent in the private sector by fundholders in each year since 1991–92. [15035]
§ Mr. MaloneI refer the right hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 9 December 1994, column401.