§ Mr. Stanbrookasked the Secretary of Staff for Social Services what proportion of the National Health Service budget is spent on administrative staff; what sum this represents in monetary terms; whether and to what extent this has increased over the last three years; and how this compares with the increase in staff concerned solely with patient care.
§ Dr. OwenFor the most recent three years for which figures are available the
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Scheme Planned completion date Estimated cost£ Burton District Hospital Centre: Boilerhouse 1974–75 396,000 Geriatric accommodation and day hospital 1975–76 855,000 Additional X-ray equipment 1974–75 2,880 Fire precaution 1974–75 8,500 Improvements to ventilation in X-ray department 1974–75 5,000 Office accommodation for district team of officers 1974–75 10,000 Improvements to ventilation and blackout facilities in the post-graduate medical centre 1974–75 5,000 Burton-on-Trent General Hospital: Conversion of boilers 1974–75 58,770 Upgrading paediatric ward nursery 1974–75 7,700 Improvements to telephone system 1975–76 20,000 expenditure in England on administrative staff expressed as a percentage of the National Health Service budget for hospitals and practitioners' services, and also in money terms, was:
Per cent. £ million 1970–71 … … 3.4 46.4 1971–72 … … 3.6 54.9 1972–73 … … 3.6 63.8 Expenditure on medical, dental, nursing, paramedical and technical staff expressed similarly was:
Per cent. £ million 1970–71 … … 46.3 627.8 1971–72 … … 45.9 710.9 1972–73 … … 46.1 808.6 The increase in these total budgets over the preceding year compared on a constant price basis was 3.2 per cent, 2.8 per cent. and 3.7 per cent. respectively.
Similar information for community health services provided by local authorities in these years is not available.