§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when the steady state funding arrangements for specialist services will cease; and what plans he has to monitor the impact of this change; [105564]
(2) if he will issue guidance to primary care trusts to ensure consistency in the arrangements for commissioning specialist services and continuity of service for patients. [105565]
§ Mr. HuttonSteady state funding lasted from April 2002 to March 2003. Strategic health authorities will monitor the effectiveness of primary care trusts' collaborative commissioning arrangements for specialised services.
The responses to the consultation on commissioning arrangements for specialised services were published on 6 March 2003. Guidance was published on 31 March 2003 on commissioning arrangements for 2003–04.