Innovation in the NHS - the acquisition of the Heart Hospital twenty-third report of session 2002-03 report, together with formal minutes and minutes of evidence

House of Commons papers 2002-03 299

Format:

Corporate Author:

Great Britain Parliament House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts

Author:

Leigh Edward chairman

Publisher:

TSO (The Stationery Office)

In September 2001, University College London NHS Hospitals Trust bought the privately owned Heart Hospital, which had been operating at only one third of its capacity leading to financial losses. Following on from a NAO report (HCP 157, session 2002-03; ISBN 0102920095), the Committee finds that the acquisition of the hospital was well conducted with due attention to risk. It represents a strategically important addition to NHS capacity, and has enabled the trust to rapidly reduce its maximum waiting times for cardiac treatment. As the trust expands its capacity, it should seek to reduce waiting times elsewhere in the country, for example, by marketing its treatment potential to out-of-area GPs. The Department of Health should produce guidance on the role of the 'NHS bank' it has established to provide funds for capital projects, as well as on other potential forms of funding. It should also develop its formal approvals procedures to allow fast track decision making for similar innovative capital projects, where warranted.

Extent	[2], 17, Ev 21p.	ISBN	9780215011107
Size	N/A	Price	£10.00
Format	Paperback	Published	18 Jun 2003
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