§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the state of preparedness from primary care groups becoming primary care trusts. [19291]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 29 November 2001]: There are currently 164 primary care trusts in operation.
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Finished consultant episodes (FCEs) and total income by trust for acute specialities NHS hospitals, England 2000–01 Trust Acute care FCEs Total Income £000 Royal Surrey County hospital NHS trust 36,764 87,492 East Somerset NHS trust 29,428 54,053 Bradford hospitals NHS trust 94,277 142,126 Doncaster Royal Infirmary 73,303 108,071 Southend hospital NHS trust 71,547 112,589 The Royal National Orthopaedic NHS trust 7,684 43,222 North Middlesex hospital NHS trust 36,117 86,050 The Hillingdon hospital NHS trust 31,279 95,657 Kingston hospital NHS trust 45,269 107,302 Taunton and Somerset NHS trust 57,133 135,489 Royal National hospital for rheumatic diseases 2,355 10,352 West Dorset general hospitals NHS trust 40,111 70,497 Nuffield Orthopaedic NHS trust 9,651 44,793 Walsall hospitals NHS trust 44,018 88,293 Wirral hospital NHS trust 74,999 142,159 The Cardiothoracic Centre Liverpool NHS trust 12,078 41,454 Royal Liverpool childrens NHS trust 27,186 78,628 Christie hospital NHS trust 32,498 68,428 Bedford hospitals NHS trust 36,509 69,794 Ealing hospital NHS trust 27,373 67,137 Luton and Dunstable hospital NHS trust 46,194 85,936 South Tees Acute hospitals NHS trust 100,838 173,604 A further 136 proposals have been approved with 19 more proposals being considered to become operational on 1 April 2002.
The estimated total of PCTs operating from 1 April 2002 is expected to be around 300.
The process for approving applications for primary care trust status is contained in Health Service Circular 1999–167. In approving applications to establish PCTs my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State needs to be satisfied that four key criteria are met. These are:
- The benefits of what will be achieved.
- The degree of support for the proposal.
- The 'fitness' of the proposed organisation to deliver.
- The impact on other organisations.
These criteria must be demonstrated in the PCT proposal. PCTs are established after full and open consultation locally, giving every opportunity for views and concerns to be expressed and addressed.