§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the total sum devoted to health education for the current financial year, together with the breakdown of allocation to specific organisations or projects.
§ Mr. MoyleTotal expenditure by the Health Education Council in respect of health education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1978–79 is expected to be £3.7 million, of which the following amounts are allocated to major publicity campaigns:
£ Alcoholism 178,000 Better health 800,000 Care of the elderly 118,000 Dental health 72,000 Health in human relationships 282,000 Respect for medicines 200,000 Smoking and health 323,000 Information about the health education budgets of area health authorities is not available centrally; and the total expenditure on health education by local education authorities is not known. Many of those working in the health professions, and many school teachers, undertake health education in the course of their daily work, but it is not practicable to quantify the cost of these activities.
§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement of the policy intentions of Her Majesty's Government in respect of health education during the next five years, the areas of priority concern, the organisation of activities and the possible financial allocation in terms of the total National Health Service budget.
§ Mr. MoyleAs indicated in "The Way Forward: Priorities in the Health and Social Services", the Government attach a high priority to prevention, of which health education is an important aspect, now and in the foreseeable future. The Health Education Council, which was set up in 1968, is the organisation with national responsibility for promoting health education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
503WWhile the Council is an independent body, it naturally in turn plans its broad priorities in consultation with the Government, and I know that continuing advice to the public on healthier living and, specifically, education on antenatal care and child health, on health in human relationships, on smoking and on alcohol ism will continue to be subjects of major concern to the Council; and so will the expansion of health education activity in schools.
Within the National Health Service, area health authorities provide local health education services in co-operation with education, social services and environmental health departments. All but six area health authorities in England employ staff specifically to organise health education activities. Many of those working in the health professions are also involved in the health education of their patients in their everyday work. Given the integration of health care and health education, it is impracticable to identify the total cost of health education as a separate item in the National Health Service budget.