HC Deb 21 January 2004 vol 416 c1361W
Mr. Baron

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he will ensure that private contractors in the NHS will not be able to recruit NHS staff indirectly through private agencies. [148462]

Mr. Hutton

[holding answer 19 January 2004]: New treatment centres run by the independent sector will be precluded as part of the contracts they sign from poaching National Health Service staff. The recruitment of NHS staff indirectly through private agencies would breach this contract.

Mr. Baron

To ask the Secretary of State for Health where the staff required by private contractors are expected to come from if they cannot be recruited from the NHS; and what proportion of recruitment is expected to be from abroad. [148463]

Mr. Hutton

[holding answer 19 January 2004]: The procurement of independent sector treatment centres (IS-TCs) is designed to contribute to a genuine increase in workforce capacity to treat national health service patients. This is why bidders have been asked to provide as many non-NHS staff as possible: primarily from overseas. In some circumstances, it will be appropriate for NHS staff to work in independent sector treatment centres but this will only be done under a structured arrangement that is agreed between the NHS and the ISTC provider. The number of professional staff Working in these new units and the proportion from overseas will be finalised during the stage of negotiations leading to contract close.