§ Mr. Les Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, following his statement that in future National Health Service resources should be channelled increasingly into geriatric provision rather than for younger patients, he will give details of the implications of this policy for the financing of the National Health Service.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe handbook "Care in Action" sets out our objectives for health authorities and local government in providing support and care for elderly people. I expect authorities to give priority to the further development of services to meet the needs of the elderly. In the Resource Allocation Working Party formula which is the basis of resource allocation in the NHS a greater weighting is given to the elderly than to younger age groups. Regional health authorities are advised to apply the same method in distributing resources to their districts. 267W The allocation of resources to meet locally assessed needs is the responsibility of individual health authorities, within their overall resources and in the light of national and regional guidelines.
§ Mr. Les Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about projected spending on the National Health Service as set out in Cmnd. 8789, giving details of the proportions funded centrally and regionally; and if he will set out the distribution of the proposed increase between services.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergWe plan to spend nearly £13 billion gross on the NHS in England in 1983–84, compared with £6½ billion in 1978–79. Growth in real terms in services over this period is expected to be some 7½ per cent. Between 1982–83 and 1983–84 growth in services overall should be about 1½ per cent., again in real terms. The projected growth in services funded by regional health authorities is 1.2 per cent., of which they are expected to find ½ per cent. from improved use of resources; in addition, real growth of nearly 12 per cent. is planned in joint finance. We plan to spend £96 million on jointly financed projects in 1983–84 compared with £30 million in 1978–79, an increase of 50 per cent. in real terms over the period. Health capital allocations should enable authorities to maintain capital programmes 12 per cent. larger than in 1978–79 and about the same as in 1982–83. Expenditure on the family practitioner services is planned to increase in real terms by about 2½ per cent. Provision for centrally financed health services is increased to allow for additional expenditure in 1983–84 of £29 million on new projects to improve services for disadvantaged groups and to meet increased demand for welfare food.
For the distribution of resources to individual health regions for 1983–84, I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) on 24 January.—[Vol. 35, c. 288–89.]
All the increases for 1983–84 are carried forward into the provision for 1984–85 and 1985–86. There is additional provision in those years for expected increases in demand for family practitioner services. As stated in Cmnd. 8789, the provision for hospital and community health services will be revised in the light of the state of the economy and the scope for further improvements in efficiency.