§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will place in the Library a paper indicating the(a) cash to be allocated for general medical services in 1997–98, (b) the percentage change in the GMS allocation from 1996–97 to 1997–98 and (c) the estimated resident population in 1997–98 for each health authority; [12086]
(2) if he will place in the Library a paper indicating the amount of money gained or lost by each health authority from its HCHS capitation funding target for 1997–98 as a result of (a) changes to the market forces factor and (b) other changes to the capitation funding formula, indicating the nature of those other changes; [12088]
(3) if he will place in the Library a paper indicating (a) in (i) cash and (ii) percentage terms the change in HCHS funding between 1996–97 and 1997–98, (b) the 1997–98 HCHS cash allocation and (c) in (i) cash and (ii) percentage terms the distance of each health authority from the HCHS target in 1997–98. [12089]
§ Mr. HoramThe information requested can be found in the 1997–98 "Health Authority Revenue Cash Limits Exposition Book", copies of which are available in the Library.
§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what account he takes of rurality when calculating funding for hospital and community health services and for general medical services. [12010]
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§ Mr. HoramThe analytical work on which the hospital and community health service formula is based considered both population density and the proportion of population living in urban areas as drivers of need that are relevant to rural areas. None of these factors proved to be statistically significant enough to feature in the formula. However, rurality may be a factor in the cost of providing services, particularly community health and ambulance services, and invitations to tender for appropriate research have been issued.
General practitioners' remuneration includes specific fees to recognise the costs and pressures of practice in rural areas.