NHS Performance Indicators — 7 Jan 2004 at 15:49

I beg to move,

That this House calls for an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the decision in July 2002 to upgrade the star rating of the South Durham Health Care Trust from two stars to three following the involvement of the private office of the then Secretary of State for Health and with the knowledge of 10 Downing Street; further calls for greater transparency in the calculation and publication of performance indicators throughout the NHS; and is concerned that excessive reliance on such indicators inhibits the independence of professionals and managers and leads to distortions in the allocation of resources.

I beg to move, To leave out from "House" to the end of the Question, and to add instead thereof:

"notes that record investment in the NHS has to be linked to reform, and that this investment and the devolution of power to the front line require greater accountability; congratulates the Government on its record of making the NHS more transparent through the development of performance indicators; welcomes the Government's development of such indicators in consultation with patients and staff; congratulates the Government on giving responsibility for NHS performance monitoring to the independent Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (CHAI), which reports direct to Parliament; and welcomes CHAI's commitment to developing new and more reflective indicators in partnership with representative bodies and the NHS itself."

Question put, That the original words stand part of the Question:-

The House divided: Ayes 204, Noes 338.

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