§ Dr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the specific circumstances are where a general practitioner must obtain prior approval for an out-of-area treatment referral; [92671]
(2) what the specific circumstances are where a general practitioner must obtain prior approval for referral (a) to a specialised service, (b) to a specialist mental health service for deaf people and (c) for a cochlear implant. [92672]
§ Mr. DenhamThe out of area treatment arrangements are used where pre-arranged service agreements are impractical, primarily for emergency situations. As made clear in Health Service Circular 1999–117 "The New NHS: Guidance on Out of Area Treatment", there is no formal prior approval mechanism for referrals under the out of area treatment arrangements.
In some cases, there may be local accountability arrangements in place setting out clinical protocols for making referrals for highly specialised services.