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West Midlands Regional Health Authority

74. Mr. Gill : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the chairman of the West Midlands regional health authority ; and what matters were discussed.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State last met the chairman of West Midlands regional health authority, together with other regional chairmen, at one of his regular meetings with them on 15 November. A number of matters of interest to them were discussed.

Community Hospitals

76. Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what general guidance he intends to give to regional health authorities regarding the provision of a full range of services in small community hospitals serving rural areas ; and whether he will make a statement.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : It will be for district health authorities to ensure that a comprehensive range of services is provided for their resident populations. In placing contracts, districts will take into account the services offered by community hospitals.

Infertility

77. Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many district health authorities provide infertility investigations and treatment.

92. Mr. Eadie : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many district health authorities provide infertility investigations and treatment.

112. Mr. Watson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of infertility investigations and treatment.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not held centrally. It is for local health authorities to determine the priorities and resources to be given to infertility in the light of local needs and circumstances.

Liverpool Area Health Authority

81. Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds have been closed by Liverpool area health authority in each of the past three years.

Mr. Freeman : We do not hold this information centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of Liverpool health authority.

Acute Hospital Beds

84. Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the number of acute hospital beds in the west midlands (a) in 1979 and (b) in the latest year for which figures are available.


Column 615

Mr. Freeman : In 1979 there were 14,669 average daily available acute beds within NHS hospitals in West Midlands regional health authority. The corresponding figure for the 1988-89 financial year was 12,528. In the same period, acute in-patient cases rose from 434, 673 to 530,580 (provisional) and the number of acute day cases rose from 50,678 to 97,950 (provisional).

Private Hospitals

87. Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what figures he has for the number of patients treated in private hospitals in 1988 ; and what proportion of all non-emergency surgical operations were carried out in such hospitals.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We do not collect this information centrally.

West Norfolk and Wisbech HA

88. Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from West Norfolk and Wisbech health authority about the current level of waiting lists.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : None.

Rugby HA

89. Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated by the Rugby health authority in (a) 1988-89 and (b) 1978-79.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The available information is given in the table.


Patients treated, NHS hospitals, Rugby district  

health authority                                 

1978, 1988-89                                    

                         |<1>1978|1988-89        

-------------------------------------------------

In-patient cases treated |7,658  |11,160         

Day case admissions      |407    |910            

New out-patients         |11,501 |13,773         

Source: 1978 SH3, 1988-89 SH3a, KP70, KH09       

returns.                                         

<1>In 1978, the area covered by the current      

Rugby DHA was a district within Warwickshire     

area health authority.                           

Beds and Operation Lists

97. Mr. Ronnie Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of district health authorities that will be cutting beds and operations lists before the end of the financial year.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We do not hold the information requested centrally. The provision of local health services is the responsibility of local health authorities subject to local needs and priorities.

Doctors

98. Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors are employed by the National Health Service now and in 1979.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The numbers are as follows :


        |England        

        |Number         

------------------------

1979    |61,554         

1988    |70,866         

Includes permanent paid 

and honorary staff.     

Excludes hospital       

practitioners and para  

94 appointments in the  

hospital and community  

health services (       

clinical assistants)    

and includes GPs.       

Operations (Costs)

100. Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has as to the comparable costs of identical operations in different health districts and hospitals.

Mr. Freeman : The costs of particular operations are not collected centrally.

Haemophiliacs

105. Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the question of compensation for haemophiliacs who have been infected with HIV as a consequence of treatment in the National Health Service.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The Department has received more than 300 representations on this question but compensation is a matter for the courts.

Recently we announced that an additional £19 million has been offered to the Macfarlane Trust, again on an entirely ex gratia basis. For the details I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. and learned Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) on 23 November at columns 11-12.

Tranquillisers

109. Mr. Sumberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what impact he expects the National Health Service reforms to have on the prescription of tranquillisers and other anxiety-reducing drugs by general medical practitioners.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Indicative prescribing budgets will encourage GPs to examine critically all of their prescribing to ensure that it is clinically justified. GPs are already well aware of the need to prescribe tranquillisers with great care as demonstrated by the reduction in the number of prescriptions for benzodiazepines from 30.9 million in 1979 to 23.2 million in 1988 in Great Britain. We expect this trend to continue.

Health Advisory Service

114. Mr. Alexander : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the working of the Health advisory service ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Freeman : Two representations have been received in the last year, one from a health authority and one from a journalist. The Department of Health is currently examining the work of the Health Advisory Service to identify how it might be undertaken effectively following implementation of the proposals in the White Paper "Working for Patients".

Elderly People

106. Mr. Charles Wardle : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the National Health Service and Community Care Bill and elderly patients.


Column 617

Mr. Freeman : Elderly patients will have much to gain from our proposals to improve the Health Service. The Government are fully aware of the special needs of the increasing numbers of elderly people. District health authorities will have specific responsibility to ensure the availability of a full range of services for all the people living within their boundaries, including elderly people. Health authorities will enter into contracts with those hospitals which can best provide the quality of care needed with the minimum of delay. Our proposals in the Bill as well as in the new GPs contract regulations are designed to bring about better quality health care for all patients, including elderly people.

117. Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of local authority residential care for the elderly.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Our policy on local authority residential care is set out in our recent White Paper, "Caring for People".

Brittle Bone Disease

128. Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has as to the extent of brittle bone disease amongst older women.

Mr. Freeman : I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the condition of osteoporosis which primarily, but not exclusively, affects women after the menopause. There is little data available on trends in osteoporosis. One marker which is, however, used is hospital episodes* for hip fractures (fracture of neck of femur). The figures for hospital episodes for fracture of neck of femur (ICD 820) for 1987-88 are :

i. estimated number of persons (all ages) 44,780;

ii. estimated number of females (all ages) 35,370;

iii. estimated number of females (75 years and over) 27,020. * A hospital episode is a period of continuous care in the same district under one consultant.

Beds (Nottingham DHA)

Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many National Health Service beds there are in Nottingham district health authority area at the present time and how many there were in 1979. Mr. Freeman : During the 1988-89 financial year there were on average 3,520 available beds in Nottingham district health authority. The corresponding figure for 1979 was 4,198. During this period there was a 67 per cent. increase in through put (in-patient per available bed), from 17.6 to 29.5, and a 38 per cent. increase in in-patient and day cases treated, from 81,292 to 112,018.

Stillbirths

Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many stillbirths occurred in 1987 at (a) 24 weeks', (b) 25 weeks', (c) 26 weeks', and (d) 27 weeks' gestation ; and how many suffered from handicaps.

Mr. Freeman : The information requested is not available. Under the Births and Deaths Registration Act of 1953 a stillbirth is defined as

"a child which has issued forth from its mother after the twenty-eighth week of pregnancy and which did not at any


Column 618

time after being completely expelled from its mother breathe or show any signs of life, and the expression stillbirth' shall be construed accordingly".

West Lambeth Health Authority

Ms. Hoey : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much money and fees have been paid to the Industrial Society or its consultants by the West Lambeth health authority over the past year ;

(2) how much money has been paid out in voluntary redundancy payments to senior management in St. Thomas's hospital and who authorised these payments ;

(3) how much money has been spent on the employment of management consultants between February and October by the West Lambeth health authority ; how this expenditure was authorised and what tendering procedures were followed.

Mr. Freeman : The detailed information requested is not collected centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the West Lambeth health authority who may be able to assist.

Market Research

Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many market research and sample surveys were carried out by or for his Department in the past 12 months ; what was the cost of each ; what was the total cost ; how many were carried out in-house ; how many were carried out for his Department by outside organisations ; and what percentage of the total expenditure was paid to outside organisations.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : A total of 25 market research and sample surveys were completed during the last 12 months. The surveys are listed in the table along with the cost :


Survey title                                            |Cost                     

                                                        |£                        

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Smoking Among Secondary Schoolchildren                  |59,094                   

Why Children Smoke                                      |79,299                   

Adult Dental Health                                     |264,390                  

General Household Survey 1988-89                        |69,277                   

NOP Omnibus-Questions on Smoking                        |16,987                   

Discount Survey (of NHS Drugs Purchases) amongst                                  

  Retail Chemists                                       |61,000                   

Sample Surveys of the Earnings and Expenses of                                    

  General Medical Practitioners, General Dental                                   

  Practitioners and the Earnings of Hospital Doctors                              

  (3 surveys)                                           |135,240                  

Sample survey of non-associate dentists to confirm                                

  their non-associate status                            |7,500                    

Sample survey of associate dentists to confirm their                              

  associate status and obtain dates of their accounting                           

  year                                                  |12,500                   

Sample survey of associate dentists to obtain earnings                            

  and expenses                                          |11,000                   

Use made by GPs of Computers                            |5,000                    

NHS Road Show Research                                  |8,832                    

Drugs 89-90 Strategy Research                           |25,185                   

Nursing Tracking 1989-90                                |18,584                   

Male Nursing Recruitment                                |22,954                   

Drugs 88-89 Campaign Evaluation                         |41,745                   

Drugs 88-89 Campaign: Qualitative Evaluation            |42,500                   

General Medical Practitioners Computing Survey          |16,500                   

Nursing Careers: 1988 Tracking Study                    |36,409                   

Cold Weather Campaign Evaluation 1988-89                |17,802                   

Nursing Recruitment Campaign Telephone Response                                   

  Follow up                                             |7,389                    

Residential Care (Staff and Residents)                  |5,200                    

Home Care                                               |3,275                    

                                                        |-------                  

The total actual and estimated cost of these surveys                              

  was                                                   |967,662                  

Eighteen of these surveys were carried out by outside organisations and data on   

two surveys carried out in house was processed by outside organisations; 90 per   

cent. of the total expenditure was paid to outside organisations (which included  

other Government Departments such as the Office of Population Censuses and        

Surveys).                                                                         

European Community

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes will be made to the residence conditions for local authority welfare services in respect of citizens of other member states of the European Community following the completion of the internal market in 1992 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : No changes are proposed. EC citizens with the right of residence in the United Kingdom and who are ordinarily resident here will as now be eligible for local authority personal social services.

Cancer Screening

Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the average period of time from testing and screening of women for (a) cervical cancer, and (b) breast cancer until the results are known in the Sunderland, Durham and Hartlepool area health authorities ; and what is the comparable figure for the rest of the country ;

(2) what is the average period of waiting for patients who are to receive radio therapy from the time of the results of the breast screening test and treatment in the Durham, Sunderland and Hartlepool area health authorities, and what is the comparable figure for the rest of the country.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Information on the processing of cervical screening tests is not available in the form requested. Our guidance to health authorities states that laboratories must aim to send results to the doctor who submitted a smear within one month of receiving it. Laboratory processing times are monitored by the Department on a quarterly basis. The information collected relates only to those district health authorities (DHAs) which are failing to meet this one month target time. As at September 1989 (the latest data available) over 75 per cent. of DHAs were meeting this target. Laboratories in South West Durham and Hartlepool DHAs were taking eight and six weeks respectively to report on smears. I understand, however, that the December return is expected to show an improvement.

Information on the average time taken to notify women of the result of their screening test and of waiting for radiotherapy treatment under the breast screening programme is not collected centrally.

Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will encourage his Department to initiate a call and re-call scheme for women of 40-plus years to test for ovarian cancer.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : It has yet to be demonstrated that such a scheme would lead to a reduction in mortality. The Department will keep this matter under review.


Column 620

Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources are being made available to the Northern regional health authority to provide a mass mammogram screening service in the North-East.

Mr. Freeman : Northern regional health authority has received a total of £3,618,000 over the years 1987-88 to 1989-90 to introduce and run breast cancer screening by mammography. This represents both capital and revenue allocations. Additional revenue allocated recurrently in each of these three years was built into the authority's baseline for subsequent years. At the end of the three year implementation period the amount now built into the region's baseline is £1,531,000 at 1989-90 prices.

Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that all women in the Northern region are invited to attend specialist breast screening units ; what call and re-call systems have been set up on the Northern region to date ; and in what respects these re-call systems are different from those in the rest of the country.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Arrangements for inviting women age 50-64 in the Northern regional health authority (RHA) to attend for screening under the National Health Service breast screening programme are similar to those used elsewhere in the country : women in this age group who are registered with a general practitioner will be invited, using the national computer system, for a screening test every three years. Northern RHA has also financed health education programmes, public information and publicity through a variety of media to encourage women in its region to take up their screening invitations.

Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to provide a mobile breast and cervical screening unit in the Durham, Sunderland and Hartlepool area health authorities ; and if he will list the locations in the United Kingdom where such mobile units are operating.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The decision to use mobile units to deliver the National Health Service breast screening service for women aged 50 to 64 years is a matter for regional health authorities to determine.

I understand that women in Sunderland will be invited to attend a static unit located at the Sunderland general hospital and that mobile units will be used to provide the service to women in Durham and Hartlepool. If the hon. Member requires any further information about the breast screening service in the Northern regional health authority he might contact Ms. Barbara Howe, the region's programme co-ordinator.

The table lists the district health authorities in England where mobile units are either in use or planned as part of those screening programmes operational as at 13 November 1989. A further 31 screening programmes are expected to become operational by March 1990 a number of which are expected to use mobile units.


Mobile screening units serving district health authorities as part of                                                            

those screening programmes operational as at 13 November 1989                                                                    

Screening programme                        |District                                                                             

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northern                                                                                                                         

Gateshead                                  |Durham                                                                               

                                           |South Tyneside                                                                       

                                                                                                                                 

Newcastle                                  |Newcastle                                                                            

                                           |North Tyneside                                                                       

                                           |Northumberland                                                                       

                                           |North West Durham                                                                    

                                                                                                                                 

Yorkshire                                                                                                                        

Huddersfield                               |Calderdale                                                                           

                                           |Dewsbury                                                                             

                                           |Huddersfield                                                                         

Hull                                       |Hull                                                                                 

                                           |East Yorkshire                                                                       

                                           |Grimsby                                                                              

                                           |Scunthorpe                                                                           

York                                       |York                                                                                 

                                           |Scarborough                                                                          

                                           |Northallerton                                                                        

                                                                                                                                 

Trent                                                                                                                            

Nottingham                                 |Bassetlaw                                                                            

Leicester                                  |Leicestershire                                                                       

Sleaford                                   |North Lincolnshire                                                                   

                                           |South Lincolnshire                                                                   

                                                                                                                                 

East Anglian                                                                                                                     

Kings Lynn                                 |West Norfolk and Wisbech                                                             

Ipswich                                    |East Suffolk                                                                         

                                           |West Suffolk                                                                         

                                           |Great Yarmouth and Waveney (part)                                                    

Peterborough                               |Peterborough                                                                         

Norfolk                                    |Norwich                                                                              

                                           |Great Yarmouth and Waveney (remainder)                                               

                                                                                                                                 

North West Thames                          |None                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                 

North East Thames                                                                                                                

Epping                                     |Redbridge                                                                            

Colchester                                 |Mid-Essex                                                                            

Leytonstone (Whipps Cross)                 |Waltham Forest                                                                       

                                                                                                                                 

South East Thames                                                                                                                

Canterbury                                 |Canterbury and Thanet                                                                

Lewes                                      |Brighton                                                                             

                                                                                                                                 

South West Thames                                                                                                                

Guildford                                  |Mid-Surrey                                                                           

                                           |North West Surrey                                                                    

                                           |South West Surrey                                                                    

                                           |West Surrey and North East Hampshire                                                 

                                           |East Surrey                                                                          

Worthing                                   |Worthing                                                                             

                                           |Chichester                                                                           

                                           |Mid-Downs                                                                            

                                                                                                                                 

Wessex                                                                                                                           

Southampton                                |Salisbury                                                                            

Portsmouth                                 |Portsmouth and South East Hampshire (part)                                           

                                                                                                                                 

Oxford                                                                                                                           

Aylesbury                                  |Aylesbury Vale                                                                       

Northampton                                |Northampton                                                                          

High Wycombe                               |Wycombe                                                                              

Milton Keynes                              |Milton Keynes                                                                        

                                                                                                                                 

South Western                                                                                                                    

Truro                                      |Cornwall and Isles of Scilly                                                         

Bristol                                    |Southmead                                                                            

Plymouth                                   |Plymouth                                                                             

                                           |North Devon                                                                          

                                                                                                                                 

West Midlands                                                                                                                    

Stoke-on-Trent                             |Mid Staffordshire                                                                    

                                           |South East Staffordshire                                                             

Coventry                                   |Rugby                                                                                

                                           |South Warwickshire                                                                   

                                           |Solihull                                                                             

Dudley                                     |Dudley                                                                               

                                           |Wolverhampton                                                                        

Walsall                                    |Walsall                                                                              

                                           |Sandwell                                                                             

Birmingham                                 |North Birmingham                                                                     

                                           |East Birmingham                                                                      

                                           |West Birmingham                                                                      

                                                                                                                                 

Mersey                                     |None                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                 

North Western                                                                                                                    

Manchester                                 |North Manchester                                                                     

                                           |Central Manchester                                                                   

                                           |South Manchester                                                                     

Screening of women aged 20 to 64 for cervical cancer is performed by general practitioners or at NHS clinics.

Information on the services in the other parts of the United Kingdom is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Northern Ireland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Laboratory Facilities (Veterinary Use)

Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total income accrued to the Durham area health authority arising from the letting of laboratory facilities at Dryburn hospital for veterinary use in the years 1987-88, and 1988-89.

Mr. Freeman : This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of Durham health authority.

Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities currently permit their clinical laboratory facilities to be used for veterinary purposes outside normal working hours as a means of generating additional income ; and what is the nature of the veterinary work undertaken at such clinical laboratories.

Mr. Freeman : We are aware that Durham health authority lets some of its laboratory facilities to a private company outside normal working hours. The veterinary work in the laboratory takes the form of microbiological tests on animal samples.

Appointments

Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the number of persons he currently appoints in the Health Service ; and what were the numbers which were appointed in 1979.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State is presently responsible for appointing the chairmen of 14 regional health authorities, 190 district health authorities, 90 family practitioner committees, and eight special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals. My right hon. and learned Friend is also responsible for appointing members of regional health authorities in such numbers as he sees fit (usually 16), 30 members of each family practitioner committee, 19 members of each of the SHAs for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals (except the Eastman dental hospital which has 15 members), and


Column 623

the trustees (usually five) to the 22 bodies of special trustees appointed under section 95 of the NHS Act 1977 to administer trust property.

The information for 1979 is not directly comparable because of the restructuring of the National Health Service in 1982. The Secretary of State was then responsible for appointing the chairmen of 14 regional health authorities, 90 area health authorities, and 12 preserved boards of governors. He was also responsible for the appointment of members of regional health authorities, the governors of the preserved boards, and special trustees.

In addition, my right hon. and learned Friend makes some 2,000 other appointments to a variety of other public and advisory bodies whose work is related to the National Health Service.

Health and Social Services (Expenditure)

Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give per capita spending on health and personal social services in cash terms and at 1987-88 prices in each year since 1979 to the latest available date for


Column 624

(a) all ages, (b) births, (c) 0 to 4 years, (d) 5 to 15 years (e) 16 to 64 years (f) 65 to 74 years and (g) 75 years and over, giving the amount spent on (i) hospital and community health services, (ii) family practitioner services, (iii) personal social services, and (iv) total in England.

Mr. Freeman : Estimates of gross current expenditure per head of population on health and personal social services, in cash and at 1987-88 prices for each year between 1979-80 and 1986-87, the latest year for which these estimates are available are given in the table. These figures are derived through successive estimations starting with the Department's programme budget analysis, details of which are provided to the Social Services Committee and are published by the Committee in minutes of evidence associated with its report on Public Expenditure on the Social Services 1987 (HC 413). Expenditure on each of the services identified is then apportioned to different age groups from data on the use of services. Due to changes in sources and definitions, data for the earliest years may not be fully consistent with those for later years.


Column 623


Estimated gross current expenditure per head of population<1> (England) 

Personal social services                                                

£ 1987-88 prices<2>                                                     

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |16-64  |65-74  |75+            

groups                                                                  

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1979-80 |60     |25     |75     |75     |20     |95     |365            

1980-81 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |85     |390            

1981-82 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |90     |370            

1982-83 |65     |25     |85     |90     |20     |85     |385            

1983-84 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1984-85 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1985-86 |65     |25     |85     |85     |25     |90     |390            

1986-87 |70     |30     |95     |95     |25     |100    |405            

<1> Data rounded to nearest £5.                                         

<2> Adjusted in line with the GDP deflator at market prices.            

#TCW89121266F


P

Family practitioner services                                                    

£ 1987-88 prices<1>                                                             

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |15-64  |65-74  |75+                    

1979-80 |65     |70     |55     |45     |60     |80     |150                    

1980-81 |70     |75     |60     |45     |60     |85     |155                    

1981-82 |70     |80     |65     |55     |60     |90     |155                    

1982-83 |75     |85     |70     |60     |65     |95     |155                    

1983-84 |80     |85     |75     |65     |70     |105    |160                    

1984-85 |80     |95     |80     |70     |70     |115    |170                    

1985-86 |80     |95     |85     |70     |70     |110    |160                    

1986-87 |85     |95     |90     |75     |75     |110    |165                    

<1> Adjusted in line with GDP deflator at market prices.                        


Estimated gross current expenditure per head of population<1> (England) 

Personal social services                                                

£ 1987-88 prices<2>                                                     

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |16-64  |65-74  |75+            

groups                                                                  

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1979-80 |60     |25     |75     |75     |20     |95     |365            

1980-81 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |85     |390            

1981-82 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |90     |370            

1982-83 |65     |25     |85     |90     |20     |85     |385            

1983-84 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1984-85 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1985-86 |65     |25     |85     |85     |25     |90     |390            

1986-87 |70     |30     |95     |95     |25     |100    |405            

<1> Data rounded to nearest £5.                                         

<2> Adjusted in line with the GDP deflator at market prices.            

#TCW89121266F


P

Family practitioner services                                                    

£ 1987-88 prices<1>                                                             

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |15-64  |65-74  |75+                    

1979-80 |65     |70     |55     |45     |60     |80     |150                    

1980-81 |70     |75     |60     |45     |60     |85     |155                    

1981-82 |70     |80     |65     |55     |60     |90     |155                    

1982-83 |75     |85     |70     |60     |65     |95     |155                    

1983-84 |80     |85     |75     |65     |70     |105    |160                    

1984-85 |80     |95     |80     |70     |70     |115    |170                    

1985-86 |80     |95     |85     |70     |70     |110    |160                    

1986-87 |85     |95     |90     |75     |75     |110    |165                    

<1> Adjusted in line with GDP deflator at market prices.                        


Estimated gross current expenditure per head of population<1> (England) 

Personal social services                                                

£ 1987-88 prices<2>                                                     

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |16-64  |65-74  |75+            

groups                                                                  

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1979-80 |60     |25     |75     |75     |20     |95     |365            

1980-81 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |85     |390            

1981-82 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |90     |370            

1982-83 |65     |25     |85     |90     |20     |85     |385            

1983-84 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1984-85 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1985-86 |65     |25     |85     |85     |25     |90     |390            

1986-87 |70     |30     |95     |95     |25     |100    |405            

<1> Data rounded to nearest £5.                                         

<2> Adjusted in line with the GDP deflator at market prices.            

#TCW89121266F


P

Family practitioner services                                                    

£ 1987-88 prices<1>                                                             

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |15-64  |65-74  |75+                    

1979-80 |65     |70     |55     |45     |60     |80     |150                    

1980-81 |70     |75     |60     |45     |60     |85     |155                    

1981-82 |70     |80     |65     |55     |60     |90     |155                    

1982-83 |75     |85     |70     |60     |65     |95     |155                    

1983-84 |80     |85     |75     |65     |70     |105    |160                    

1984-85 |80     |95     |80     |70     |70     |115    |170                    

1985-86 |80     |95     |85     |70     |70     |110    |160                    

1986-87 |85     |95     |90     |75     |75     |110    |165                    

<1> Adjusted in line with GDP deflator at market prices.                        


Estimated gross current expenditure per head of population<1> (England) 

Personal social services                                                

£ 1987-88 prices<2>                                                     

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |16-64  |65-74  |75+            

groups                                                                  

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1979-80 |60     |25     |75     |75     |20     |95     |365            

1980-81 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |85     |390            

1981-82 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |90     |370            

1982-83 |65     |25     |85     |90     |20     |85     |385            

1983-84 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1984-85 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1985-86 |65     |25     |85     |85     |25     |90     |390            

1986-87 |70     |30     |95     |95     |25     |100    |405            

<1> Data rounded to nearest £5.                                         

<2> Adjusted in line with the GDP deflator at market prices.            

#TCW89121266F


P

Family practitioner services                                                    

£ 1987-88 prices<1>                                                             

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |15-64  |65-74  |75+                    

1979-80 |65     |70     |55     |45     |60     |80     |150                    

1980-81 |70     |75     |60     |45     |60     |85     |155                    

1981-82 |70     |80     |65     |55     |60     |90     |155                    

1982-83 |75     |85     |70     |60     |65     |95     |155                    

1983-84 |80     |85     |75     |65     |70     |105    |160                    

1984-85 |80     |95     |80     |70     |70     |115    |170                    

1985-86 |80     |95     |85     |70     |70     |110    |160                    

1986-87 |85     |95     |90     |75     |75     |110    |165                    

<1> Adjusted in line with GDP deflator at market prices.                        


Estimated gross current expenditure per head of population<1> (England) 

Personal social services                                                

£ 1987-88 prices<2>                                                     

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |16-64  |65-74  |75+            

groups                                                                  

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1979-80 |60     |25     |75     |75     |20     |95     |365            

1980-81 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |85     |390            

1981-82 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |90     |370            

1982-83 |65     |25     |85     |90     |20     |85     |385            

1983-84 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1984-85 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1985-86 |65     |25     |85     |85     |25     |90     |390            

1986-87 |70     |30     |95     |95     |25     |100    |405            

<1> Data rounded to nearest £5.                                         

<2> Adjusted in line with the GDP deflator at market prices.            

#TCW89121266F


P

Family practitioner services                                                    

£ 1987-88 prices<1>                                                             

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |15-64  |65-74  |75+                    

1979-80 |65     |70     |55     |45     |60     |80     |150                    

1980-81 |70     |75     |60     |45     |60     |85     |155                    

1981-82 |70     |80     |65     |55     |60     |90     |155                    

1982-83 |75     |85     |70     |60     |65     |95     |155                    

1983-84 |80     |85     |75     |65     |70     |105    |160                    

1984-85 |80     |95     |80     |70     |70     |115    |170                    

1985-86 |80     |95     |85     |70     |70     |110    |160                    

1986-87 |85     |95     |90     |75     |75     |110    |165                    

<1> Adjusted in line with GDP deflator at market prices.                        


Estimated gross current expenditure per head of population<1> (England) 

Personal social services                                                

£ 1987-88 prices<2>                                                     

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |16-64  |65-74  |75+            

groups                                                                  

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1979-80 |60     |25     |75     |75     |20     |95     |365            

1980-81 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |85     |390            

1981-82 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |90     |370            

1982-83 |65     |25     |85     |90     |20     |85     |385            

1983-84 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1984-85 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1985-86 |65     |25     |85     |85     |25     |90     |390            

1986-87 |70     |30     |95     |95     |25     |100    |405            

<1> Data rounded to nearest £5.                                         

<2> Adjusted in line with the GDP deflator at market prices.            

#TCW89121266F


P

Family practitioner services                                                    

£ 1987-88 prices<1>                                                             

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |15-64  |65-74  |75+                    

1979-80 |65     |70     |55     |45     |60     |80     |150                    

1980-81 |70     |75     |60     |45     |60     |85     |155                    

1981-82 |70     |80     |65     |55     |60     |90     |155                    

1982-83 |75     |85     |70     |60     |65     |95     |155                    

1983-84 |80     |85     |75     |65     |70     |105    |160                    

1984-85 |80     |95     |80     |70     |70     |115    |170                    

1985-86 |80     |95     |85     |70     |70     |110    |160                    

1986-87 |85     |95     |90     |75     |75     |110    |165                    

<1> Adjusted in line with GDP deflator at market prices.                        


Estimated gross current expenditure per head of population<1> (England) 

Personal social services                                                

£ 1987-88 prices<2>                                                     

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |16-64  |65-74  |75+            

groups                                                                  

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1979-80 |60     |25     |75     |75     |20     |95     |365            

1980-81 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |85     |390            

1981-82 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |90     |370            

1982-83 |65     |25     |85     |90     |20     |85     |385            

1983-84 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1984-85 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1985-86 |65     |25     |85     |85     |25     |90     |390            

1986-87 |70     |30     |95     |95     |25     |100    |405            

<1> Data rounded to nearest £5.                                         

<2> Adjusted in line with the GDP deflator at market prices.            

#TCW89121266F


P

Family practitioner services                                                    

£ 1987-88 prices<1>                                                             

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |15-64  |65-74  |75+                    

1979-80 |65     |70     |55     |45     |60     |80     |150                    

1980-81 |70     |75     |60     |45     |60     |85     |155                    

1981-82 |70     |80     |65     |55     |60     |90     |155                    

1982-83 |75     |85     |70     |60     |65     |95     |155                    

1983-84 |80     |85     |75     |65     |70     |105    |160                    

1984-85 |80     |95     |80     |70     |70     |115    |170                    

1985-86 |80     |95     |85     |70     |70     |110    |160                    

1986-87 |85     |95     |90     |75     |75     |110    |165                    

<1> Adjusted in line with GDP deflator at market prices.                        


Estimated gross current expenditure per head of population<1> (England) 

Personal social services                                                

£ 1987-88 prices<2>                                                     

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |16-64  |65-74  |75+            

groups                                                                  

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1979-80 |60     |25     |75     |75     |20     |95     |365            

1980-81 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |85     |390            

1981-82 |60     |25     |85     |85     |20     |90     |370            

1982-83 |65     |25     |85     |90     |20     |85     |385            

1983-84 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1984-85 |65     |25     |85     |90     |25     |90     |395            

1985-86 |65     |25     |85     |85     |25     |90     |390            

1986-87 |70     |30     |95     |95     |25     |100    |405            

<1> Data rounded to nearest £5.                                         

<2> Adjusted in line with the GDP deflator at market prices.            

#TCW89121266F


P

Family practitioner services                                                    

£ 1987-88 prices<1>                                                             

        |All age|Births |0-4    |5-15   |15-64  |65-74  |75+                    

1979-80 |65     |70     |55     |45     |60     |80     |150                    

1980-81 |70     |75     |60     |45     |60     |85     |155                    

1981-82 |70     |80     |65     |55     |60     |90     |155                    

1982-83 |75     |85     |70     |60     |65     |95     |155                    

1983-84 |80     |85     |75     |65     |70     |105    |160                    

1984-85 |80     |95     |80     |70     |70     |115    |170                    

1985-86 |80     |95     |85     |70     |70     |110    |160                    

1986-87 |85     |95     |90     |75     |75     |110    |165                    

<1> Adjusted in line with GDP deflator at market prices.                        


Column 627


                             Number of courses of treatment             

                            |March     |June      |September            

                            |quarter   |quarter   |quarter              

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(i) Patients under 18       |2,592,260 |2,560,600 |2,508,830            

(ii) Patients over 18 but                                               

     fully exempt from                                                  

     dental charges         |892,710   |957,580   |932,900              

(iii) Patients over 18                                                  

     partially exempt from                                              

     dental charges         |14,100    |16,740    |16,970               

(iv) Patients over 18 fully                                             

     liable for dental                                                  

     charges                |5,212,440 |4,996,760 |4,665,620            

Mr. Sean Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the monthly breakdown figures for courses of dental treatment completed since charges for dental examinations came into operation earlier this year (a) on a national basis and (b) on the most convenient regional basis.

Mr. Freeman : The information is available on a national basis only. The figures for England are shown in the table.


Column 628


Month            |Number of                        

                 |courses of                       

                 |dental treatment                 

---------------------------------------------------

January 1989     |2,882,850                        

February 1989    |2,923,917                        

March 1989       |2,904,716                        

April 1989       |2,789,026                        

May 1989         |2,978,174                        

June 1989        |2,764,940                        

July 1989        |2,722,924                        

August 1989      |2,722,530                        

September 1989   |2,678,527                        

October 1989     |2,815,278                        

Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the inquiry into the provision of dentures has been completed ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Freeman [holding answer 11 December 1989] : In November 1988, the Department asked the Dental Estimates Board (now the Dental Practice Board) to carry out a study of patients' and dentists' satisfaction with the provision of dentures under the National Health Service. The study has not yet been completed. Its primary purpose is to inform the work of the dental rates study group in relation to setting fees for the provision of full dentures.

Nottinghamshire Health Authority

Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the budget for the Nottingham health authority during the last 15 years in real terms and in money terms.

Mr. Freeman : The table gives details of Nottingham health authority's net revenue expenditure in cash and 1989-90 price terms since the authority's inception in 1982-83. Figures for earlier years are not comparable since they applied to the much larger Nottingham area health authority.


£'s million                     

        |Cash<1>|1989-90        

                |prices         

--------------------------------

1982-83 |112.3  |162.2          

1983-84 |118.0  |162.9          

1984-85 |126.0  |165.8          

1985-86 |133.9  |167.0          

1986-87 |142.3  |171.9          

1987-88 |155.5  |178.5          

1988-89 |172.5  |184.6          

<1> Excludes transfers from     

revenue to capital and includes 

any additional central          

allocations and additions from  

reserves.                       

Ex-psychiatric Patients

Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ex-psychiatric patients have been released into the community in each of the last three years ; what arrangements have been made for their continued care in the community ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Freeman : The information in the form requested is not collected centrally. The table shows the number of discharges to the community from NHS mental illness hospitals and units in England after a stay of one year or more for the last three years for which information is currently available.


Column 629


Year       |Number of            

           |discharges           

---------------------------------

1984       |3,928                

1985       |3,441                

1986       |3,751                

It is for health and local authorities to determine service requirements and expenditure priorities within policy guidelines. From 1 April 1991, health authorities will be required to introduce the care programme approach to ensure the proper assessment of the needs of patients both in the community and in hospital.

St. Ann's Hospital, Tottenham

Mr. Bernie Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will announce his decision regarding the closure of acute wards at St. Ann's hospital in Tottenham.

Mr. Freeman : Proposals for the closure and transfer of acute beds at St. Ann's and the North Middlesex hospital are closely linked to the plans for major capital development on the North Middlesex site. I understand that as a result of decisions taken by North East Thames regional health authority on 27 November the redevelopment of the North Middlesex site is unlikely to start until after 1995-96. The RHA has recently completed a review of their capital programme in the light of their latest forecasts of income from land sales, and of higher than expected increases in building costs. This has involved some rescheduling of schemes over a longer timetable than originally envisaged. This rescheduling will of course be kept under review to take into account changes in forecasts for land sale income. We will need to consider the proposals for the closure and transfer of acute beds put forward by North East Thames regional health authority in the light of this new information. I will of course write to the hon. Member when a decision has been reached on the closures.

Live Births

Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the figures for the number of live births at less than 28 weeks gestation with the estimated gestation for 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

Mr. Freeman : The information requested is not available ; information on gestation is not collected at live birth registration.

Ministerial Note Paper

Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what day the printing of a slogan on his headed ministerial note paper was introduced.


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