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NHS: Cost Pressures
Baroness Noakes asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have carried out any studies into the sources of cost pressures on the National Health Service for 2001–02; and whether they will publish their findings.[HL2023]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government routinely assess the cost pressures on the National Health Service as part of the annual planning process.
The assessment is done by an analysis of past trends in cost pressures and discussions with the National Health Service to estimate the impact of new cost pressures. In 2001–02, funding included provision for the following cost pressures on the National Health Service: pay awards of around 3.9 per cent. on average; other pay pressures such as the new contract for junior doctors and the introduction of cost of living supplements for some staff living in the South of England; non-pay inflation in the National Health Service which is above the level of general inflation; growth in prescribing costs of around 10 per cent., made up of trend growth, the additional impact of appraisals made by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence and the implementation of national service frameworks.All these cost pressures were fully funded. They are national assumptions and the exact costs will vary from area to area.
NHS: Overseas Referrals
Lord Bruce of Donington asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What plans they have for the NHS to commission treatment overseas for NHS patients.[HL2136]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In the light of recent rulings of the European Court of Justice, we announced that we would amend the National Health Service Act 1977 to enable the NHS to commission treatment within the European Economic Area
(EEA). We will make regulations shortly. We will also take this opportunity to permit NHS bodies to commission care from outside the EEA where it is in the patient's best interest to do so. We nonetheless expect that the overwhelming majority of referrals, where they occur, will be to countries of the EEA.Regulations will also be made shortly to amend the National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) Regulations 1988 to permit NHS bodies to pay for the travel of NHS patients going overseas for treatment funded by the NHS. The NHS will meet the cost of the patient's travel from the point at which they begin their international journey (the airport, ferry port or international train station) to the foreign provider. Reimbursement of travel expenses between the patient's home to the airport, ferry port or international train station will be governed by the same rules that currently apply to payment of travelling expenses to hospitals in England. This change will ensure that patients treated overseas under the auspices of the NHS will not be disadvantaged by having to travel further for that treatment.
Peers: Access to Ministers
Lord Trefgarne asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether Members of the House of Lords enjoy the same right of access to Ministers as do Members of the House of Commons.[HL2151]
The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn): Yes.
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