§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to require the North East Thames regional health authority to make good the underfunding of the Southend health authority on the basis of the resource allocation working party formula; and what has been the total of this underfunding over the past five years.
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§ Mrs. Currie[pursuant to the reply, 21 October, c. 870]: The resource allocation working party formula, first used in 1977–78, demonstrated that the North East Thames regional health authority was overfunded by 13.7 per cent. in that year. The overfunding has been reduced to 9.7 per cent. in 1985–86, and 5.9 per cent. in 1986–87. For 1986–87 the particular difficulties of the region have been recognised, and additional cash of £52.4 million injected.
The allocation of funds to Southend health authority is a matter for North East Thames regional health authority, but I understand that net revenue expenditure for Southend has increased from £34.6 million in 1982–83 to £42.3 million in 1985–86, an increase of 6 per cent. in real terms, compared to a regional decrease of 1.1 per cent. over the same period.
Recent capital items in Southend health authority include a 20-place day hospital for the elderly at Westcliff hospital. In addition a major development at Rochford hospital costing £5.5 million including a rehabilitation department, four wards for the elderly, and three day hospitals (for the elderly, elderly mentally infirm, and the mentally ill), will be completed by 1988.