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Suffolk Coastal Primary Care Trust

Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when the financial and management specialist team sent to Suffolk Coastal primary care trust is due to report its findings to her Department; and when those findings will be made public; [47654]

(2) which patient representative bodies the financial and management specialist team met during its visit to Suffolk Coastal primary care trust. [47655]

 
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Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 2 February 2006]: Suffolk Coastal primary care trust (PCT) was subject to a baseline assessment exercise. The aim of this exercise is to ensure there is an agreed understanding of the local financial problem and that actions are in hand to address this. This involved the strategic health authority (SHA) and an assessment of the PCTs financial management.

It is the responsibility of the PCT to work with stakeholders, including patient representative bodies
 
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and such discussions were outside the scope of the baseline line assessment.

The PCT will then agree a tailored package of turnaround support with their SHA.

A report from the Director of Finance of the Department on 25 January 2006 was released which gives the results of the assessments. Suffolk Coastal PCT was assessed as needing drive and focus to maintain their high priority to turnaround.

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