§ Mr. Easthamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many health authorities in the north-west are proposing to reduce clinical services or close facilities in 1987–88 or 1988–89 to provide a balanced budget.
§ Mrs. CurrieRevenue expenditure by north-western regional health authority on hospital and community health services has increased in real terms by some 24 per cent. between 1978–79 and 1986–87. This has enabled substantial increases between 1978 and 1986 in the numbers of patients treated in the region: 22 per cent. more in-patients, 16 per cent. more out-patients and 85 per cent. more day cases. The key to maintaining and building on this success is sound resource management by district health authorities, within balanced budgets. The hon. Member may wish to address his detailed inquiries, about how this is achieved, to the chairman of the north-western regional health authority, which is responsible for ensuring north-western district health authorities balance their budgets.
§ Mr. Easthamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the projected year-end situation for each of the health authorities in the north-west on an income/expenditure basis.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe information requested is not collected on an in-year basis and the annual accounts of health authorities for 1987–88 are not due for submission to our department until the end of June 1988.
The hon. Member may wish to approach the chairman of the north-west regional health authority, who may be able to assist with the information he seeks.
§ Mr. Easthamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the cost of the 1987–88 pay awards to date of the north-west health authorities; and how this cost compares with the funding allocated by his Department.
§ Mrs. CurrieInformation is not available centrally on the cost of pay awards by district health authority. The hon. Member may wish to ask the chairman of the northwestern regional health authority for this information.
North-western RHA's share of the additional resources allocated following this year's pay review body awards to nurses, doctors and allied professions was £22.9 million. It was for the regional health authority to determine how those funds should be distributed amongst its districts.
§ Mr. Easthamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cumulative cost of pay award underfunding over the past three years in each of the health authorities in the north-west.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe information requested is not available. Health authorities operate within the cash planning system which means that they are expected to met all pay and price increases and develop services from within the total resources available to them. Between 1983–84 and 1986–87 north-western regional health authority's gross revenue expenditure increased by 5.1 per cent. in real terms. In 1987–88 the region has received a further real terms increase of 3.7 per cent.