§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many prescriptions have been dispensed each year since 1981; what proportion of them were paid for; what proportion of them were dispensed free of charge; and at what cost.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe information requested is as follows:
local authorities of community care initiatives in line with the recommendations of the Social Services Committee report on community care.
§ Mr. WhitneyProgress in developing community care is being made in many areas through joint initiatives 505W between health and local authorities. Bridging finance made available through regional funding mechanisms is supporting their efforts and 28 pilot projects are being funded centrally under the care in the community initiative, each for three financial years. The development of jointly planned initiatives continues to be encouraged in many ways. Arrangements for monitoring the achievement of all service priorities are an integral part of the National Health Service planning and accountability process. Whenever it proves necessary this issue would be raised at annual accountability reviews of particular regional and district health authorities.
Percentage 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 HCHS (1) real terms increase in resources 2.5 11.0 0.3 0.3 0.6 1.4 -0.4 (2) real terms increase in pay 2.4 7.6 -2.0 -0.8 0.4 1.0 -0.4 LAPSS (1) Real terms increase in resources 4.1 3.7 0.8 2.6 3.3 1.8 n/a (2) real terms increase in pay 2.0 1.5 1.9 0.2 0.7 -0.4 n/a Notes:
(1) These lines show the increase in resources available to each programme in real terms.
(2) These lines show the real terms cost to each programme of meeting pay increases.