To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of London’s NHS foundation trusts and teaching hospitals are not implementing the policy of allowing patients to use the choose and book appointments system; to what extent the implementation of this policy is being overseen by (a) Monitor, the independent regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts and (b) the Healthcare Commission; and if he will make a statement. (222388)

All London NHS Foundation Trusts (NHSFTs) and teaching hospitals are using Choose and Book.

We are informed by the Chairman of Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHSFTs) that during 2007-08, compliance with the requirement to implement and maintain systems to support Choose and Book was reported by NHSFTs to Monitor on a quarterly basis. In 2007-08, no NHSFT reported to Monitor that it did not have in place the systems in order to enable it to offer choice to patients.

The Healthcare Commission has an indicator ‘Convenience and Choice’ as part of the annual health check. It assesses trusts on the information that providers have on NHS Choices and the availability of appointment slots on Choose and Book for patients to book their appointment.