§ Baroness Noakesasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 23 July (WA 63), what principles will be used to determine which National Health Service bodies will enter into contracts with non-United Kingdom organisations to carry out operations on National Health Service patients in England; and how the nature of the contracts could affect those principles. [HL5621]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe Department of Health is developing a number of approaches to using overseas providers to treat National Health Service patients in England. Different contractual arrangements are likely to be appropriate in different cases. In deciding which National Health Service bodies should enter into these contracts we will take account of who is best placed to commission and manage the services in a way which secures high clinical standards for patients and good value for money.