§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when the decision was taken to devolve commissioning responsibility for head and brain injury rehabilitation services to health authorities and primary care trusts; and what assessment he is undertaking of the impact of that devolution on service provision. [104721]
§ Jacqui SmithIn October 2002 the NHS Reform and Healthcare Professions Act provided for most of the functions of the health authorities to be conferred onto primary care trusts (PCTs) and for health service resources to be allocated directly to PCTs by the Secretary of State. PCTs are expected to establish collaborative commissioning arrangements for specialised services, of which head and brain injury 555W rehabilitation services are one, and strategic health authorities are expected to oversee and performance manage these arrangements.