Chronic Disease (Hansard, 3 November 2003)

§ Tim Loughton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he has taken to improve access to treatment for sufferers of chronic diseases. [134803]

§ Dr. Ladyman
Our substantial increased investment in the national health service will have the effect of improving access to treatment for all patients, including those with chronic diseases. Over the years 2003–04 to 2007–08, expenditure on the NHS in England will increase on average by 7.4 per cent. a year over and above inflation—a total increase over the period of 43 per cent. in real terms. This will take the total spent on the NHS in England from £56 billion in 2002–03 to over £90 billion in 2007–08 and lead to better services for all patients.
Maximum waiting times have fallen over the past few years and will continue to do so. By the end of 2005, the maximum waiting time for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant will fall to three months and the maximum wait for in-patient treatment will fall to six months. This will help all NHS patients, including those with chronic disease.
We are also producing a national service framework (NSF) for long-term conditions. The NSF, which we hope to publish by December 2004, will concentrate on neurological conditions and also have generic value for people with other long-term conditions and disabilities and will inform the future planning of services.
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§ Tim Loughton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by his Department on chronic disease sufferers, broken down by main categories of chronic disease, in each of the last six years. [134804]

§ Dr. Ladyman
The information requested is not collected centrally. Strategic health authorities and primary care trusts receive unified allocations to cover the costs of hospital and community health services, discretionary funding for general practice staff, premises, computers and primary care prescribing.
The level of funding made available for the drugs, staffing and other costs of providing services for patients with chronic diseases are determined locally. It is for strategic health authorities, in partnership with primary care trusts and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to provide health services for their populations, including those with chronic disease.