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I am pleased to report to the noble Lord, Lord Selsdon, that we are on target to reach 18 weeks by 2008 and the target will cover the whole patient pathway from GP referral to main treatment by a consultant. It was designed in order to get rid of the so-called “hidden waits” that he so graphically demonstrated.
My noble friend Lady Turner mentioned the primary care sector and innovation. We have an obligation to patients, who deserve the best quality services. It is crucial in under-doctored areas or where existing practices fail to meet the needs of their population that PCTs commission new services from different providers, whether existing high-quality practices or new providers. That is why we are taking that action.
The noble Baroness, Lady Murphy, asked: when will we provide a level playing field of tariffs? We will do that once centrally procured contracts have ended. All providers will then be required to operate at tariff. How broad is our notion of providers? By the end of 2008, patients will be able to choose to go to any provider that can meet the NHS quality and tariff.
The NHS does not have a monopoly on values, and the private sector certainly does not have a monopoly on efficiency. What we are looking and working for is a partnership, delivering quality care that brings together values, best value and efficiency for the benefit of all of us who use and pay for the NHS.
- House adjourned at nine minutes before four o’clock.
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