§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to tackle inequalities in health services. [150378]
§ Yvette CooperThe NHS Plan published in July 2000 sets out targets for the National Health Service and social services which are focused on delivering fast, convenient and people centred services. They are aimed at providing the highest standards of care, tackling the major causes of disease and reducing inequalities in health and in access to health services. These include national health inequalities targets to narrow the gap between socio-economic groups and between deprived areas and the rest of the country, a review of the existing weighted capitation formula with reducing inequalities a key criterion for allocating NHS resources, new partnerships between health and social services to tackle inequalities, improved access to primary care for all patients, and more and better screening programmes.