Hip and Knee Replacement

HC Deb 10 June 2003 vol 406 cc835-6W

Mrs. Calton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost is to the NHS for the parts needed for a replacement(a) hip and (b) knee operation. [117200]

Mr. Hutton

The Department of Health does not collect this information.

The National Joint Registry was launched on 1 April 2003, and will collect data on total hip and knee replacement operations. This will provide national health service trusts with information about the performance of hip and knee implants and will allow them to improve their evidence based purchasing of implants.

Mr. Waterson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost to the NHS is of hip operations carried out on British patients in hospitals in(a) France and (b) Germany. [116682]

Mr. Hutton

A procurement process identifying spare capacity abroad is currently active, so the costs of specific procedures abroad are commercially sensitive. However, prices are comparable to spot purchasing in the United Kingdom private sector.