§ Mr. Lewis Stevensasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to raise the National Health Service charges for private patients and overseas visitors in the next financial year.
§ Mr. HayhoeFrom 1 April 1986, the charges payable by private patients and overseas visitors for accommodation and services at Health Service hospitals will go up to amounts that reflect the total costs that it is estimated will be incurred in the next 12 months. For outpatients, the average increase is 16 per cent., reflecting cost increases and a reassessment of the component for overheads in these charges and follows increases of 13 per cent. and 4 per cent. in 1985 and 1984. The average increase for inpatients is 4 per cent. following increases of 9 per cent. and 14 per cent. in the previous two years.
The basis for all these charges is under review and account will be taken of the report of a study of private patient charges by the National Audit Office expected later this year, and the recommendations of a health service Rayner scrutiny on the marketing of private patient facilities which will be reporting shortly.
Charges for overseas visitors will be increased in line with charges to private patients through regulations which were laid yesterday. Details of charges for private patients are given in the table.
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Private resident patients charges 1986–87 (present charges in brackets) Charges for patients not paying consultant(s) separately Charges for patients paying consultant(s) separately Class of hospital (1) Single room £ (2) Other £ (3) Single room £ (4) Other £ Class A long-stay hospitals 71(68) 65(62) 67(66) 61(60) Class B Psychiatric hospitals 59(54) 54(49) 56(52) 51(47) Class C1 mainly acute (non-teaching) hospitals 120(110) 109(100) 113(106) 103(96) Class C2 acute (non-teaching) hospitals 132(125) 120(114) 124(120) 113(109) Class D London teaching (other than A and B) 185(174) 168(159) 173(166) 158(151) Class E provincial teaching (other than A and B) 146(144) 133(131) 139(137) 126(124) Class F London postgraduate hospitals managed by special health authorities except the hospitals for Sick Children and the National Heart and Chest hospitals 203(193) 185(176) 191(183) 123(167) Class G the hospitals for Sick Children and the National Heart and Chest hospitals 282(266) 256(243) 265(253) 241(230) Note:
Charges are per day.
Private patients normally pay the rates in columns 3 and 4. The higher rates in columns 1 and 2 apply only to those patients who are paying the hospital for medical services rather than the doctor.
Private outpatient and day care charges 1986–87 (Present charges in brackets) All hospitals except London postgraduate hospitals managed by SHAs (Classes A-E) £ London postgraduate hospitals managed by SHAs (Class F and G) £ 1. Consultation *6.50 (5.50) 11.50 (9.50) 2. Day cases 26.50 (25.00) 27.50 (26.00) 3. Pathology 6.50 (6.00) 12.50 (11.50) 4. Radiodiagnosis Unit value: 0.75 (0.66) 0.92 (0.88) Minimum charge: 12.00 (10.50) 14.50 (14.00) 5. CT Scanning 96.00 (96.00) 115.00 (115.00) 6. Radiotherapy Superficial: 7.50 (6.00) 19.50 (11.00) Other: 16.00 (12.50) 41.50 (25.00 7. Physiotherpy and Remedial Gymnastics for each attendance 4.50 (4.00) 8.50 (7.00) 8. Occupational Therapy 7.00 (6.00) 10.00 (9.50) 9. Audiometry 4.50 (4.00) 4.50 (4.00) 10. ECG 9.00 (7.50) 15.00 (10.50) 11. EEC 34.00 (29.00) 66.00 (52.00) 12. Electro-myography 21.00 (18.00) 40.50 (31.50) 13. Use of operating theatre Under 10 minutes: 21.00 (20.00) 26.00 (25.50) 10–30 minutes: 41.00 (39.00) 52.00 (49.00) Over 30 minutes: 62.00 (58.00) 78.00 (72.00) * Where there was more than one charge in 1985–86 an illustrative figure is shown.