§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the criteria and rules governing priority for the secondary treatment of service personnel at his Department's hospital units at(a) Peterborough, (b) Frimley Park and (c) Derryford. [88425]
§ Mr. Doug Henderson[holding answer 28 June 1999]: Following detailed discussions with the NHS during 1997 and 1998, the principles of a new Service Level Agreement have been developed to form a revised contract from 1999–2000 at the three existing MDHUs at Peterborough, Frimley Park and Derryford, and at the new MDHU Northallerton. This model will also form the basis of all future MOD contracts relationships with the NHS for providing treatment for Service patients and the hosting of Service clinical personnel. It contains the following.
Outpatients—50 per cent. of new referrals to be seen within four weeks and 90 per cent. within 13 weeks.Inpatients—80 per cent. of patients requiring treatment to be seen within 3 months of the decision to treat.The contract allows for a price premium to be paid if these targets are met. Where there is a pressing requirement to deploy Service personnel operationally, the single Service primary care authorities identify those patients who would benefit from rapid opinion and 127W treatment in conjunction with the MDHUs. An assessment would then need to be made on whether a change or intensification of treatment would return them to duty faster.