§ Lord Harris of High Crossasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the approximate average cost to public funds of the following:
- (a) a patient's visit to a doctor;
- (b) a prescription;
- (c) a stay in hospital for one week;
- (d) a child at secondary school per year;
- (e) medical cover per head under the National Health Service.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Baroness Trumpington)The approximate average costs in 1985–86 in England of the items listed are—
- (a)£5.40(1)(2)
- (b)£4.88(3)
- (c) Hospital Type(4)
Acute £606 Maternity £728 Long Stay £321 Geriatric £279 Mental Illness £270 Mental Handicap £241 (d)£1.150'5)
(e)Total net National Health Service spending, current and capital, per head of population amounted to £300. Within this, £21 was accounted for by hospital and community health services medical staff costs and £23 by the cost of the general medical services.
Notes
- (1)The number of consultations of general medical practitioners is based on a sample in the General Household Survey.
- (2) The cost is for all types of consultation. It is not possible to produce costs separately for surgery, home, telephone or other types of consultations.
- (3)Prescriptions dispensed by pharmacists.
- (4)The cost of a stay in hospital varies widely according to the hospital type and an average cost embracing all hospital types would not be meaningful. The figures provided are the average costs per in-patient week for the main hospital types for 1984–85 repriced to 1985–86 prices using the Gross Domestic Product deflator.
- (5)Actual cost for 1984–85 repriced to 1985–86 prices using the Gross Domestic Product deflator.