HC Deb 12 March 2002 vol 381 cc1035-7W
Dr. Murrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the respondents that have expressed concerns over the capacity and capability of primary care trusts to handle the functions to be devolved from the existing health authorities after April, according to Issue 7 of The Bulletin dated January 2002. [34139]

Mr. Hutton

I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.

In the "Shifting the Balance of Power" discussion period, over 400 responses were received from existing primary care trusts (PCTs), health authorities, national health service trusts, local representative committees, voluntary organisations, community health councils, local authorities, universities, royal colleges, major national representative bodies and numerous individuals. Several of these respondents were concerned to some extent that PCTs would not have the capacity or capability come April to undertake their new functions effectively. However, these concerns were raised in the summer of 2001, since then much progress has been made in the development and implementation of PCT policy.

It would be wrong to expect PCTs to manage their enhanced role and new functions without support. That is why a number of central initiatives, for example the national primary and care trust development programme, have been established to help PCTs develop the expertise and the capacity they will need to take on these functions.

At a local level PCTs are being encouraged to develop collaborative working arrangements with each other to pool knowledge, and share capacity and expertise.

Dr. Murrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made under the comprehensive development programme referred to in Issue 7 of "The Bulletin" dated January 2002 in ensuring that primary care trusts are able to handle functions devolved from health authorities. [34138]

Mr. Hutton

I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.

To ensure that primary care trusts are able to handle functions devolved from health authorities in April 2002, a number of central support and development initiatives were established through the primary care trust development programme, the leadership centre, the National Health Service appointments commission and the Modernisation Agency.

A framework of organisational and person competencies for PCTs and their staff has since been identified after an extensive listening exercise with PCTs and other key stakeholders. This will shortly be available to all PCTs to use as self-assessment tool to help determine the organisation's competence and enable PCTs to build and develop the capability and capacity to deliver on their enhanced role. A series of events have also been held for PCT chief executives and some other senior staff to develop the ideas of PCTs collaborating on areas where self sufficiency is not possible. As a result network arrangements are being put in place over the country.

Appropriate induction and development programmes have also been developed for PCT non executive directors and similar programmes for other leaders are in progress. A number of specialist groups have been established to look in more detail at PCTs' competence on issues such as dentistry and nursing while teams of PCT leaders have also been recruited to look at the major PCT competencies in more detail.

As more staff are in place and PCTs take on their new functions, development programmes will continue apace. Indeed, the primary care trust development programme has a three year future already planned out. PCT development will be linked increasingly to development initiatives for the new health authorities to ensure that changes across the NHS are delivered in a whole systems way.