§ Lord Lipseyasked Her Majesty's Government:
How much revenue they raise from patient charges for—
81WA and what percentage of total National Health Service expenditure the combined figure represents. [HL2398]
- (a) National Health Service prescriptions;
- (b) National Health Service dental treatment;
- (c) National Health Service sight tests; and
- (d) National Health Service wigs and fabric supports;
§ Baroness AndrewsThe figure for National Health Service prescription income in the Department of Health resource accounts for 2001–02 is £413.1 million.
The figure for NHS dental income in the DH resource accounts for 2001–02 is £472.1 million. However it should be noted that this figure is gross of around £1.6 million of patient refunds (this figure is not separately identified in the accounts).
There is no patient charge income from sight tests. NHS sight tests are free to certain priority groups, mainly people aged 60 and over, children, people on low incomes and defined categories of people at risk of developing eye disease. Sight tests that take place in hospitals are free of charge to all patients.
Income from wigs and fabric supports are retained by NHS trusts and are not recorded separately.
NHS expenditure in 2001–02 was £49,406 million hence the figures combined above represent 1.8 per cent of the total NHS expenditure.