§ Mr. Mike Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the 43W level of each National Health Service charge to patients in May 1979, the level of each charge after the most recently announced increases in charges and the percentage increase in each case together with the change in the total revenue raised by each charge over this period.
§ Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg[pursuant to his reply, 21 March 1983 c. 351]: Comparisons of the statutory charges to NHS patients are as follows:
Dental Charges May 1979 April 1983 Per cent. increase £ £ Maximum for routine treatment 5 13.50 170 Crowns, inlays, pinlays: gold 10 50 400 others 10 26 160 Synthetic resin dentures 1–3 teeth 10 22 120 4–8 teeth 11 23 109 over 8 teeth 12 24 100 Maximum for more than one denture 20 38 90 Metal denture and bridges 1–3 teeth 15 40 167 4–8 teeth 16 42 162 over 8 teeth 17 44 159 Maximum for more than one denture 30 80 167 Overall maximum charge for any one course of treatment 30 95 217
Frames May 1979 £ March 1983 £ Percentage increase Plain gold-filled Pad bridge, Zylo-tipped hockey-end sides (two types) 4.28 8.86 107.0 Pad bridge, light curl sides (two types) 4.50 9.27 106.0 Half-eye, flat section eyewire, pad bridge (two types) 4.50 8.07 79.3 Plastics (Cellulose acetate) Pad bridge, with reinforced hockey-end sides 1.57 2.05 30.6 Pad bridge, with gold-filled super comfort curl sides, and reinforced cellulose acetate butts 2.59 3.28 26.6 Saddle, flush or inset bridge, with reinforced hockey-end sides 7.50 8.19 9.2 Saddle, flush or inset bridge, with gold-filled super-comfort curl sides and reinforced cellulose acetate butts 8.10 9.01 11.2 Half-eye, regular bridge, with reinforced hockey-end sides 6.50 7.10 9.2 Half-eye, pad bridge, with reinforced hockey-end sides 2.87 3.47 20.9 44W
Total Revenue The revenue from individual charges is not readily available. The total figures are as follows:
1978–79 Budget Estimate 1983–84 £ million £ million Dental charges 55.4 167.4 Prescription charges 25.7 126.6 Ophthalmic charges 25.4 50.6
Prescription Charges May 1979 April 1983 Per cent. increase £ £ Prescription Charge 0.20 1.40 600 Pre-Payment Certificate four monthly N/A 7.50 N/A six monthly 2.00 N/A N/A annual 3.50 21.50 514 Elastic Stockings (Single) 0.50 1.60 220 Elastic Hosiery (Excluding Stockings) 0.25 1.40 460 Wigs and Fabric Supports Full bespoke human hair wig 7.50 49.00 553 Partial human hair wig 7.50 30.50 307 Stock modacrylic wig 2.50 15.00 500 Abdominal and spinal support 2.00 11.00 450 Surgical brassiere 2.00 7.00 250 Ophthalmic Charges—Lenses
Because of the restructuring in 1982 of lens charges a direct comparison between the charges to patients in May 1979 and those operative from 1 April 1983 and set out in Schedule 2 of the National Health Service (Dental and Optical Charges and Remission of Charges) Amendment Regulations 1983 (SI 1983 No 309) is not possible. Details of the charges operative in May 1979 are as follows:
Description of Lens Charge £ Single vision lens (including single vision lenticular, frosted and chavasse lenses)— 2.90 Fused glass bifocal lens— 5.50 Lens of any other description— 6.15 The maximum charge per lens was introduced on 1 April 1982—SI 1982 No 284.
Note: The increases are due to higher volume as well as higher charges.