§ Mr. JenkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend the new treatment centres programme throughout England. [160077]
§ Mr. HuttonThe treatment centre programme will deliver around 80 treatment centres by the end of 2005, treating at least an additional 250,000 patients a year in total. The majority of these centres will be run by the national health service. Others will be operated by independent sector providers.
We are planning a national procurement starting later this year to provide diagnostic and surgical services through the independent sector. This will build on the current independent sector treatment centre procurement which was launched in December 2002. Two schemes—one at Daventry and the mobile cataract surgery service—are already open and treating patients.