§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will undertake to reduce the administration costs of(a) strategic health authorities, (b) primary care trusts and (c) NHS trusts by setting up shared administration and human resources systems. [157581]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Department has initiated a number of initiatives to reduce the administration and human resource costs of all National Health Service bodies. These include the setting up of two shared service centres to provide financial services and the sponsoring of a number of projects designed to support the NHS in recruiting, retaining and managing its workforce.
The shared financial service centres in Bristol and Leeds were set up as pilots last year. These have been successful and the Department is currently advertising for a private sector partner to help expand the centres and make their services available across the NHS. The human resources projects cover electronic recruitment and careers, and staff records/payroll. The recruitment and careers project is currently being rolled out across the NHS and staff records/payroll will be piloted this year.