§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the funding of the pay award to nurses working in the hospice movement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeIn 1988–89 the Government made available to health authorities an additional ?5.5 million to meet the costs of the nurses' clinical regrading exercise incurred by hospices and mainly charitable hospitals with which they had contractual commitment or to which they regularly gave financial support. This allocation was made because of the exceptional nature of the increase in pay costs and about one quarter of it was expected to go to hospices.
That sum is being carried forward to 1989–90, and increased by 5 per cent. The Government have not 525W included any further provision in the additional funds being made available in respect of the 1989 nurses' pay award, but health authorities may wish to provide extra financial support from the very significant overall increase in financial resources at their disposal in 1989–90.
My Department has asked for more information to be collected on the general pattern of financial support of hospices by health authorities and will consider the need for any further action in the light of this.