§ Dr. BrandTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements the Government have put in place to ensure that patients referred to hospital trusts without a contract from their health authority or primary care group are accepted as referrals by those trusts. [61800]
§ Mr. MilburnFrom 1 April 1999, all patients will be treated under service agreements. Under new arrangements for out of area treatments, any referrals that cannot be planned for in a service agreement between the health authority and the primary care group and the National Health Service trust to whom the referral is made will be covered by a service agreement with the HA or PCG that is the main commissioner for the NHS trust concerned. HA/PCG cash limits will be adjusted to allow for this.
Out of area treatments will not require prior approval. Patients will continue to be treated according to clinical priority and all patients will be covered by the standards for quality and effectiveness specified in the main commissioner's service agreement. The freedom of doctors to refer is unchanged by this new system.