§ Mr. John Browneasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give (a) the revenue figure attributed to the supply of blood to in-patients in National Health Service paybeds and (b) the calculated costs of supplying the blood.
§ Mr. NewtonInformation is not available on the costs of blood to in-patients occupying National Health Service paybeds. Paybed charges in acute hospitals incorporate a 1 per cent. addition for supplying blood, reflecting the fact that in 1984–85 the total revenue costs of the Blood Transfusion Service amounted to 1 per cent. of the total revenue costs of NHS acute hospitals. No charge is made for blood supply in long-stay or psychiatric hospitals as this service is rarely required.