§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now provide extra funding for sexually transmitted diseases clinics in response to AIDS.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1987, c. 512–13]: We have provided £4.4 million to the three health regions where 76 per cent. of AIDS cases have been reported, as additional funding in respect of AIDS for 1987–88. Our plans for that year provide for an increase in overall allocations to health authorities in England of £626 million, which is 2.2 per cent. above forecast general inflation. Authorities will also retain the benefit of cash 323W released through their cost improvement programmes, which are planned to achieve £150 million in the current year. Health authorities are expected, when allocating these resources, to have regard to any pressures on STD clinics arising from AIDS. On 23 December my right hon. Friend wrote to all district health authority chairmen telling them of the importance we attach to the provision of adequate resources for these services.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what account has been and will be taken of AIDS in determing the size and distribution of joint finance.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1987, c. 512–13]: Allocations to regions of joint finance are made on the basis of populations weighted to take account of the elderly, mentally ill and mentally handicapped. A bias is also given towards inner cities. AIDS is not at present taken into account in determining the size and distribution of joint finance, but the Government will keep under
Number of cases reported to communicable disease surveillance centre1 Total revenue expenditure on hospital and community health services2 (£ thousands) Initial revenue cash limits3 (£ thousands) Region 1982–83 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 Northern 20 520,838 620,085 658,469 699,786 Yorkshire 7 583,406 699,526 739,814 786,599 Trent 10 696,747 843,155 906,746 970,216 East Anglian 5 288,951 358,247 381,174 411,602 North West Thames 337 633,215 728,848 757,300 786,508 North East Thames 127 800,677 914,188 955,859 996,092 South East Thames 56 700,421 807,525 836,239 874,233 South West Thames 15 530,393 608,276 636,615 710,025 Wessex 16 418,407 506,941 542,455 580,446 Oxford 6 334,669 402,374 425,349 454,746 South Western 9 507,281 603,266 649,376 688,642 West Midlands 15 809,722 973,915 1,038,509 1,114,355 Mersey 10 436,241 507,924 533,750 564,742 North Western 26 729,550 860,336 903,633 959,886 Total All Regions 659 7,990,517 9,434,607 9,965,288 10,597,878 1 Up to end January 1987. 2 Expenditure figures are taken from regional health authorities annual income and expenditure accounts. 3 The revenue cash limits shown are the initial allocations notified to regional health authorities. They can fluctuate significantly throughout the financial year (eg due to revenue to capital transfers, inter authority transfers, central adjustments) and therefore are not comparable with outturn expenditure figures.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what financial support has been made available by his Department to the Terrence Higgins trust;
(2) what is his Department's total grant sought by and given to the Terrence Higgins trust in each year since the trust's formation.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1987, c. 512–13]: The Department's grants to the Terrence Higgins trust totalled £35,500 in 1985–86 and £118,610 for 1986–87.
For 1985–86, the first year for which the trust sought a grant, its application was met in full. For 1986–87, the trust initially submitted a provisional application for over £600,000. The level of grant subsequently awarded was agreed following detailed discussions with the trust on the areas which could be supported within the Department's grant-making powers. We are currently considering the appropriate level of grant for 1987–88.
324Wreview the means of funding services for AIDS patients in the future, in the light of further discussion about the most appropriate pattern of care including care in the community.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the 10 health authorities which have experienced the most demand on their services from AIDS patients; and if he will give for each the total revenue expenditure in 1982–83 and 1985–86 and the revenue budget for 1986–87 and 1987–88.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1987, c. 512–13]: Information is not available at district level, which is presumably what the hon. Member had in mind. The table sets out the regional distribution of AIDS cases and the corresponding figures for revenue spending, or allocations for all regional health authorities in England. For the reasons given in the notes to the table, the expenditure and allocation figures are not directly comparable.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultation took place with the Terrence Higgins trust before its telephone number was put on the AIDS leaflet.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1987, c. 512]: I regret that no consultations were held with the Terrence Higgins trust before including its telephone number in the national AIDS leaflet. However, discussions were held with the trust in December about the increasing pressure on its telephone lines as a result of greater public concern about AIDS due to the Government's public education campaign. As a result we have agreed to meet in full the costs of new telephone lines and equipment for the trust.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many health authorities have drawn up action plans on AIDS; if he will list them; and if he will place the action plans in the Library.
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§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1987, c. 512–13]: Every district health authority has submitted a plan of action for combatting AIDS to the Department in response to our request in January of last year. These are not intended for publication, but the hon. Member will be aware that the AIDS Control Bill currently before the House provides for publication of annual reports by health authorities concerning their work in this field.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the circumstances in which two nurses carrying the AIDS virus have been reinstated following their earlier dismissal; what is the general practice with regard to the employment of nurses carrying the AIDS virus; how many such cases are currently known to him; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1987, c. 512]: Information about the health of individual employees is confidential between that employee and the employing health authority.
Health authorities are expected to follow the advice in the leaflet "AIDS and Employment", issued by the Department of Employment and the Health and Safety Executive, in connection with the employment of staff who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what role Her Majesty's Government envisage for general practitioners in combating the spread of AIDS; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonThe educative role of the general medical practitioner in containing the disease by counselling his patients is an important part of the fight against AIDS. The greater part of the care of the patient who is HIV positive will be provided in the community. The Department is organising a conference on community care for AIDS sufferers to be held next month and informal discussions have been taking place with representatives of the medical profession on the contribution that general medical practitioners can make.