Health Circular 2002/004

Joan Walley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to enforce the provisions of health circular 2002/004; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Ivan Lewis
Directions, contained in annex D of the health service circular 2002/004, place the same statutory funding requirements on national health service bodies for the risk-sharing scheme as applies to positive guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

Ensuring compliance is the responsibility of strategic health authorities. Failure risks an adverse report to the Secretary of State from the independent Healthcare Commission.