§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how he monitors compliance by SEMA with its latest guidelines; and if he will make a statement. [11902]
§ Malcolm WicksMedical quality standards, including compliance with training and guidelines, are monitored monthly by SchlumbergerSema Medical Services. Doctors in the Department's Corporate Medical Group are regularly involved in validation of Medical Services' medical quality audit system and its application.
The Department takes a keen interest in Medical Services' performance against quality targets. Monitoring outcome reports are analysed by the Department's contract management team (IMPACT) and Corporate Medical Group, and stringent requirements are placed on Medical Services to develop and deliver action plans to improve performance where this fails to reach an acceptable standard. Failure to improve may result in service credits being applied.
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the service credit arising from SEMA's performance against targets up to 31 March. [11906]
§ Malcolm WicksSchlumbergerSema Medical Services' performance against service levels and quality targets is reviewed monthly. Service credits are applied when performance falls below target. The Department aims to apply service credits in a manner which acts as an incentive to improve performance, therefore the decision to apply service credits takes into account any mitigating factors, and the effectiveness of action being taken to improve performance.
In the period to March 2001 the Department has claimed service credits from SchlumbergerSema on several occasions where there has been failure to deliver the required service or improvements.
Details of the amount involved are not in the public domain, as commercially sensitive information.