§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he collates on(a) the cost of procedures in NHS hospitals and (b) the charges for procedures in private hospitals and private beds in NHS hospitals. [50063]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 16 April 2002]: Reference costs data is the main source of cost data on individual treatments and procedures in the National Health Service. This information is collected annually from NHS providers (including primary care trusts) and is analysed to produce national average costs which are published.
1244WThe level of detail is dependent on the services. Inpatient and day case episodes are sub-divided into over 500 Healthcare Resource Groups (HRGs). HRGs are groups of clinically similar procedures and treatments which are iso-resource. They are developed by clinicians, and signed off by the respective Royal Colleges.
Outpatient attendances are, at a minimum, analysed on the number of first and follow up attendances for each specialty. Some specialties are analysed using more sophisticated workload measures. Full details can be found on the Department's website and copies of the Reference Costs 2001 publication are in the Library.
The Department does not collect information on charges for procedures either in private or NHS hospitals for private patients. It has, however, carried out a survey of NHS health authorities and trusts on the acute elective activity they commissioned from the independent sector last year and the related costs, and will make available key results shortly.