HC Deb 19 November 1985 vol 87 cc152-3W
Mr. Pendry

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much of health service expenditure as an absolute figure and as a percentage of total National Health Service expenditure for each of the past 10 years was spent on (a) elderly and geriatric services, (b) community services, (c) the mentally handicapped, (d) the mentally ill, (e) obstetric services and (f) acute hospital services.

Mr. Hayhoe

The requested breakdown by patient group is available only for hospital and community health services expenditure which accounts for some 70 per cent. of total National Health Service expenditure. The table shows estimated gross current expenditure by health authorities, in cash and as a percentage of total hospital and community health services expenditure, on the main client groups each year between 1975–76 and 1983–84, the latest year for which these estimates are available. Comparable figures prior to 1975–76 are not available.

These estimates of health authorities' spending are valid for monitoring broad trends, but not for making close

Hospital and Community Health Services expenditure (£ million cash) England
1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 ║1983–84
Geriatric services* 269 311 356 410 489 649 714 763 804
(percentage of total) (8.7) (8.9) (9.1) (9.3) (9.2) (9.5) (9.4) (9.4) (9.4)
Community services 260 294 329 370 449 598 665 728 780
(percentage of total) (8.4) (8.4) (8.4) (8.4) (8.5) (8.7) (8.8) (9.0) (9.1)
Services for mentally handicapped people 162 181 205 229 275 355 389 419 437
(percentage of total) (5.3) (5.2) (5.2) (5.2) (5.2) (5.2) (5.1) (5.2) (5.1)
Services for mentally ill people† 354 389 444 490 593 775 860 916 965
(percentage of total) (11.5) (11.1) (11.3) (11.1) (11.2) (11.3) (11.3) (11.3) (11.3)
Obstetric services 167 188 207 224 273 353 392 427 435
(percentage of total) (5.4) (5.3) (5.3) (5.1) (5.1) (5.2) (5.2) (5.3) (5.1)
Acute hospital services 1,455 1,653 1,833 2,052 2,459 3,163 3,505 3,745 3,958
(percentage of total) (47.2) (47.1) (46.7) (46.6) (46.3) (46.2) (46.2) (46.3) (46.2)
Other services 414 495 548 631 772 958 1,057 1,087 1,182
(percentage of total) (13.4) (14.1) (14.0) (14.3) (14.5) (14.0) (13.9) (13.4) (13.8)
Total Hospital and community health services‡ (excluding joint finance) 3,081 3,511 3,923 4,406 5,310 6,849 7,582 8,085 8,561
* Including expenditure on non-psychiatric day patients.
† Including expenditure on psychiatric day patients.
‡ As given in health authorities summarised accounts.
║ Provisional.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration he has given to the joint policy statement on National Health Service expenditure sent to him by the British Medical Association, the Institute of Health Service Administrators and the Royal College of Nursing; what response he is making; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Hayhoe

I shall let the right hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.