§ Mr. Hepburn:To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much per capita has been spent by the NHS in (a) the North East and (b) the UK in (i) 1996, (ii) 2000 and (iii) (projected for) 2003. [130739]
§ Mr. Hutton:Information on the average level of National Health Service spending per weighted head of population in the north east and in England is shown in the table. Information is not yet available for 2002–03.
£ per head 1996–97 2000–01 The North East 615.31 796.11 England 625.56 825.38 Notes:
1. Health authority annual accounts 1996–97
Health authority summarisation forms 2000–01
Primary care trust summarisation forms 2000–01
Weighted population figures for 1996–1997 and 2000–01
2. In many health authorities there arc factors which distort the expenditure per head. These include:
The health authority acting in a lead capacity to commission healthcare or fund, training on behalf of other health bodies.
Asset revaluations in NHS Trusts being funded through health authorities.
For these reasons expenditure per head cannot be compared reliably between health authorities.
3. Allocations per weighted head of population provide a much more reliable measure to identify differences between funding of health authorities.
4. Expenditure is taken from audited health authority and primary care trust summarisation forms which are prepared on a resource basis and therefore differ from cash allocations in the year. The expenditure is the total expenditure by the health authority and by the primary care trusts within the health authority and region area. The ma ority of General Dental Services expenditure is not included in the health authority or primary care trust summarization forms and is separately accounted for by the Dental Practice Board. An element of pharmaceutical services expenditure is accounted for by the Prescription Pricing Authority and not by health authorities.
5. Health authorities and primary care trusts should account for their expenditure on a gross basis. This results in an element of double counting in 2000–01 where one body acts as the main commissioner and is then reimbursed by other bodies. This element cannot be identified in 2000–01.
6. The North East has been taken to include the geographical areas covered by the following Health Authorities:
County Durham and Darlington Health Authority.
Gateshead and South Tyneside Health Authority.
Newcastle and North Tyneside Health Authority.
Northumberland Health Authority.
Sunderland Health Authority.
Tees Health Authority.