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Capture, Assess, Treat and Support Scheme

Volume 454: debated on Wednesday 13 December 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures will be adopted (a) to determine which patients are treated by (i) the contractor and (ii) the NHS acute trust and (b) to offer choice to patients about where they will be treated following the award of the contract for the capture, assess, treat and support scheme in Lancashire. (107083)

The clinical assessment and treatment service (CATS) is a primary care based referral and assessment service and will be available for patients who do not need the specialist skills of secondary care or an elective procedure as part of an integrated modern clinical pathway.

Patients will be afforded a number of choices as they move along their pathway. Patients can select from different CATS locations when referred by their general practitioners and patients will also be offered a choice of provider after they have been assessed through CATS.

The referring clinician, who will usually be a general practitioner or specialist nurse, should help each patient make the best choice for their needs.