Written Question: Auditing UK-wide health outcomes

Lord Moylan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to undertake an independent audit of the clinical outcomes of NHS England; and what discussions they have had with the devolved administrations about undertaking similar audits of the clinical outcomes of (1) NHS Scotland, (2) NHS Wales, and (3) Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland, in order to compare performance across the UK. (HK11477)

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Lord Bethell): National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme audits on National Health Service healthcare services in England are commissioned and managed by the independent Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership on behalf of NHS England. It is a requirement of the NHS standard contract in England that all providers of NHS care in England participate in the programme which supports trusts in identifying necessary improvements for patients. Most of the audits involve services in England and Wales. Some also include services from Scotland and Northern Ireland.