Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department monitors agreed (a) standards and (b) targets within privately-provided services; and whether there are any contractual consequences if performance targets are not met.

The independent sector plays a vital role in partnership with the National Health Service, delivering more than 100,000 elective appointments and procedures every week for the NHS.

Contracts are awarded to independent sector providers (ISPs) in line with the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). The PSR was introduced by regulations made under the Health and Care Act 2022, and helps ensure that decisions are made in the best interest of patients and service users. Those providers in receipt of NHS contracts must meet additional requirements, including the standards set out in the NHS Provider License and the NHS Standard Contract.

ISPs are expected to deliver services agreed in contracts with integrated care boards (ICBs), progressing priorities set out in planning guidance, including an improvement in elective waiting time performance. ICBs can take action where these targets are not met. Data published monthly by NHS England on waiting list performance is used to track performance and ensure targets are being met, and can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/