HC Deb 03 July 2000 vol 353 cc28-9W
Mr. Lilley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the total NHS trust extra contractual referrals for 1997–98(a) from GP fundholding practices and (b) from health authorities, excluding GP fundholding practices; [124380]

(2) if he will publish, for each trust completing table 1 on pages 17 to 19 of "The New NHS Guidance on Out of Area Treatment Consultation Paper", the total trust adjustment for columns B, C and D. [124379]

Mr. Denham

[holding answer 5 June 2000]: The consultation on "The New NHS: Guidance on Out of Area Treatment Consultation Paper" took place between May and July 1998. In the light of this the information requirements for the out-of-area treatment (OAT) data collection exercise were modified.

The exercise to establish the 1999–2000 OAT adjustments was led by National Health Service trusts. It was carried out in two stages.

At stage 1, NHS trusts identified their 1997–98 extra contractual referral (ECR) income from health authorities and cost per case income from general practitioner fundholders. They then reduced these amounts to take account of activity that had already been put into contracts or service agreements. The data were validated by health authorities and submitted to regional offices. These data are shown in columns A and B of the table that has been placed in the Library.

At stage 2, the amounts established at stage 1 were analysed by NHS trusts. In agreement with health authorities the amounts were further reduced to take account of the activity which would be covered by new or expanded service agreements in 1999–2000. The amounts not covered by service agreements formed the base for the 1999–2000 OAT adjustment. This is shown in column C of the table. These figures, uplifted by 8.5 per cent., comprise the 1999–2000 OATs adjustment.

The information collected to establish the 1999–2000 OAT adjustment was provided by NHS trusts. The figures were derived from NHS trust ECRs but do not represent the totality of NHS trust ECRs.

The amounts in column C of table 1 formed the basis of the OAT adjustments made to health authorities.

Table 2, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, shows NHS trusts' 1997–98 forecast ECR and cost per case income. This information was collected as part of the in-year financial monitoring returns.

The figures in tables 1 and 2 are not comparable.