Oral Answers to Questions

Edward Timpson Excerpts
Tuesday 25th January 2011

(13 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Simon Burns Portrait Mr Burns
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Yes, and let me reassure my hon. Friend—because last summer I had the pleasure of joining him to visit what is an excellent hospital for the people of Newark—that under our reforms, given the commissioning powers of the GP consortia in the area, they will be able to help strengthen and tailor the health care that the hospital delivers, ensuring that it meets the needs of the people of Newark.

Edward Timpson Portrait Mr Edward Timpson (Crewe and Nantwich) (Con)
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How does my hon. Friend envisage the commissioning of ambulance services under the new GP commissioning regime?

Simon Burns Portrait Mr Burns
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Ambulance services will be commissioned through the GP consortia at the local level. What I envisage—this is not prescriptive from the Department of Health, but what I think will develop—is that, just as ambulance services are currently commissioned for geographical areas in England through one PCT, the consortia will appoint lead consortia to commission the services for that area.