§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Sec rotary of State for Health what deficit he estimates for Newcastle City Health Trust; what bridging loan have been granted to Newcastle City Health Trust; and how these deficits and loans are to be apportioned in respect of its successor authorities. [150954]
§ Mr. DenhamThe Newcastle City Health National Health Service Trust is forecasting a revenue breakeven position for 2000–01. The NHS Executive has not454W provided any direct assistance in the form of brokerage in 2000–01. The trust has received £1 million assistance in respect of the Newcastle Strategic Review (NSR) bridging arrangements, which is partially funded from national special assistance funding. As the trust is forecasting breakeven, no brokerage has been provided; and as the NSR bridging funding is non-repayable, there is no impact on the successor organisations.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many PMS services have been approved in Newcastle City; if these are located in the area of greatest health need; if approval been given for a PMS for asylum seekers in Newcastle; and how this will be funded. [150953]
§ Mr. DenhamA total of 12 personal medical services (PMS) pilots have been approved in the City of Newcastle since April 1998.
PMS pilots under the National Health Service (Primary Care) Act 1997 are an opportunity for general practitioners, nurses and community trusts to test different ideas for delivering primary care services, focusing on local service problems and bringing about health improvements. Health Service Circular 2000/018 outlined our priorities for future PMS Pilots. Pilot schemes are not necessarily restricted to areas of greatest health need, however that may be defined.
Approval has been given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Newcastle Asylum Seeker Unit as a PMS pilot to become operational on 1 April 2001. For all PMS pilots a transfer of funds is undertaken at a national level from the General Medical Services (GMS) non-discretionary budget to the unified budget. The transfer of existing resources is based on the appropriate GMS and other funding paid to GPs or practices moving to pilot status.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been allocated for bridging support for the Newcastle City Strategic Review in each financial year from 1996–97 to 2001–02; and if he has decided to terminate support from 2002 onwards. [150955]
§ Mr. DenhamNewcastle and North Tyneside Health Authority has received special assistance funding in support of strategic change as follows:
£ million Year Special assistance 1996–97 2 1997–98 4.5 1998–99 3.5 1999–2000 4.8 2000–01 3 Decisions on special assistance funding are taken annually and an announcement will be made shortly with regard to 2001–02. No decisions have been taken in respect of 2002–03 onwards.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when the PFI for Newcastle City Hospitals Trust will go to open advertisement for bidders; if he has received a request to prioritise work on the new cancer treatment centre; and if he intends to put the new cancer treatment centre on a faster track for completion. [150956]
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§ Mr. DenhamThe private finance initiative (PFI) schemes to complete the implementation of the Newcastle Strategic Review will be able to go to advert for bidders once the outline business cases for the various capital investments have been assessed and approved by the National Health Service Executive. The business cases were received on 14 February 2001 and work on their assessment will be completed by the end of March 2001.
We are aware of local aspirations that the cancer treatment centre element of the Newcastle Strategic Review be publicly funded in advance of the remainder of the PFI developments. However, the business cases advocate that the new cancer treatment centre should be procured as one part of the overall PFI developments proposed at both the Freeman Hospital and Royal Victoria Infirmary, and not separately. The PFI has been the major element of our modernisation of the NHS's capital stock and has enabled a much faster pace of development than if there had been a reliance on public capital funds alone. Subject to satisfactory progress being made in progressing the scheme, the new facilities at Freeman Hospital should be operational in 2005.