HC Deb 17 June 2003 vol 407 c161W
Dr. Kumar

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on(a) the areas involved in the specialties covered by (b) funding for and (c) objectives of the new Action On programmes; [114315]

(2) if he will make a statement on (a) the areas involved in the specialties covered by (b) funding for and (c) the effectiveness of the existing Action On programmes. [114314]

Mr. Hutton

Details of the first four Action On programmes covering ophthalmology; orthopaedics; ear, nose and throat (ENT); and dermatology, their pilot sites and summaries of their main aims and achievements are available on the Action On website: www.modern.nhs.uk/action-on

Three new Action On programmes began in spring 2003, covering services in general surgery, plastic surgery, and urology. 18 pilot sites in plastic surgery and 15 pilot sites in urology were announced in early May 2003, details of which are also available on the Action On website. Projects in general surgery will be announced in July 2003.

Existing pilot sites received revenue funding of typically £75,000 per annum over 18 months. In addition to this, a total of more than £75 million capital funding has also been allocated to selected sites in dermatology, ENT and orthopaedics over 2002–03 and 2003–04 to increase capacity and support developments in service modernisation.

Pilot sites for the three new Action On programmes will also receive revenue funding to support the costs of running the project over 18 months. Funding for pilot projects will total £3 million across the three specialties in the current financial year, with a further £1.5 million in 2004–05.

From April 2003, all 28 strategic health authorities in England are also being provided with funding totalling £2.5 million over the next two years to employ a local service improvement lead each in order to support the spread of good practice. These posts will support local modernisation initiatives in the Action On specialties, including the three new programmes in plastic surgery, general surgery and urology.

All capital schemes are required to deliver additional service capacity and waiting time improvements. Cataracts schemes have contributed to the 17 per cent. increase in surgery rates achieved during the first two years of the programme. Action On ENT, dermatology and orthopaedics are still in the process of completion and implementation. However, good practice guidance issued by all four programmes give examples of productivity gains and service improvements at each of the pilot sites. These guides are available on the Action On website.

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