Specialist Commissioning In The Nhs

EDM number 666 in 2002-03, proposed by Paul Burstow on 05/02/2003.

That this House notes that, in the early part of 2002, the Government announced proposals that healthcare services in 35 highly specialised areas (including specialist neuroscience, women's health, rheumatology, HIV, haemophilia, renal and cancer services) would be commissioned by primary care trust-led consortia with effect from 2003; believes that this one size fits all approach to commissioning is not appropriate to all the diseases and conditions listed in the National Specialised Services Definitions Set; is concerned that not all primary care trusts have the necessary experience, personnel, skills, funds and infrastructure to plan and commission specialised services effectively; is further concerned that specialised service provision and standards of patient care will suffer as a result; welcomes the formation of the Specialised Healthcare Alliance, a coalition of patient representative groups, advocacy organisations and healthcare professionals, to bring these concerns to the attention of parliamentarians, government and others; and calls upon the Government to publish the results of its review and to announce its intentions with regard to the funding and commissioning of specialised healthcare services as a matter of urgency.

This motion has been signed by a total of 17 MPs.