§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated average cost of each treatment by a hospital accident and emergency unit in England.
§ Mrs. Currie[holding answer 8 February 1988]: I regret that the information is not available in the form requested. Hospital cost returns show that the average total cost of an accident and emergency out-patient attendance in England in 1985–86 was £17–30. The range of treatments available in NHS hospitals is so diverse that it would be very expensive to cost each one separately, and difficult to obtain statistically sound results. We estimate that approximately 5 per cent. of all attendances are admitted to in-patient care.