§ Mr. Frank DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) clinical and (b) non-clinical employees each of the private sector companies on the Register of Expertise has. [89060]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 7 January 2003]: The applications for the National Health Service Franchising Register of Expertise were in the names f corporate bodies rather than individuals. An organisation which tenders for a franchise will be 530W required to name appropriately qualified individual(s) to carry out senior management roles in a hospital trust as part of their bid.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any of the three-star NHS trusts included in the Register of Experts asked to be included. [89065]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 7 January 2002]: As part of the earned autonomy package, all three star National Health Service trusts are given automatic entry to the franchising register of expertise and therefore do not need to apply. These trusts are not under any obligation to apply for franchise opportunities that arise.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the(a) private and (b) voluntary sector organisations which applied to be included in the Register of Experts but were rejected. [89058]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 7 January 2002]: The selection and rejection of applicants for the National Health Service Franchising Register of Expertise is a matter for the independent panel which was set up by the National Health Service Appointments Commission to assess the applications.
It would not be appropriate to publish the names of organisations who applied, but were unsuccessful, as the applications were made in confidence to the independent panel.
§ Mr. Frank DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS organisations will need the approval of their board before applying for a franchise to run another trust. [89059]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 7 January 2003]: A National Health Service trust would need the agreement of its Board before it could apply for a franchise to run another National Health Service trust.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health in each of the private sector companies on the Register of Experts, how many managers were previously employed in the NHS. [89061]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 7 January 2003]: The applications for the National Health Service franchising register of expertise were in the names of corporate bodies rather than individuals. An organisation which tenders for a franchise will be required to name an appropriately qualified individuals(s) to carry out management roles in a hospital trust as part of their bid.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals are managed by each of the private sector organisations on the Register of Experts; and how many beds, emergency admissions and intensive care beds there are in each such hospital. [89064]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 7 January 2003]: The independent panel set up by the National Health Service Appointments Commission assessed the general ability of each private sector organisation to run a hospital trust. The expertise and experience of every organisation which tenders for a National Health Service franchise will be thoroughly and rigorously assessed before any contract is awarded.
531W
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the sum to be paid to franchised managements of NHS trusts will be made public. [89066]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 7 January 2003]: The management fee paid to private sector organisations for any franchise agreement is amatter for the Board of the relevant National Health Service trust.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the private management of franchised NHS trusts will be able to levy fines on local authorities which fail to provide sufficient help with hospital discharges. [89067]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 7 January 2003]: Subject to legislation, the ability to levy fines on local authorities that delay hospital discharges will apply to the institution, not the management of the organisation. A private sector organisation awarded the management franchise of a hospital trust would not retain any money received for itself through this arrangement, but it would go into general funds.