§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list for each year since 1979 the amount of money collected by the national health service in respect of payment for ambulance services to traffic casualties;
(2) if he will list for each year since 1979 the amount of money collected by the national health service in respect of payment for hospital treatment of traffic casualties.
§ Mr. Dorrell[holding answer 25 November 1991]: There is no charge for the NHS emergency ambulance service. When patients are treated by medical practitioners following a road traffic accident, two separate charges may be payable. An emergency treatment fee may be claimed at a flat rate, currently £19.30, when any qualified medical practitioner provides immediate medical treatment following a road traffic accident. Health authorities and NHS trusts may collect this fee if the initial treatment is provided at an NHS hospital. The fee is payable by vehicle users and must be covered by motor insurance policies.
In addition, hospitals can collect charges for any subsequent in or out-patient treatment up to maximum 589W levels, currently £2,667 and £267 respectively. These charges can normally be claimed only from motor insurers, and only if the insurer has made a payment in respect of death or bodily injury arising from the road traffic accident.
The total income to health authorities in England from these charges has been as follows:
£ million 1979–80 1.438 1980–81 2.723 1981–82 4.198 1982–83 5.894 1983–84 6.950 1984–85 7.324 1985–86 7.916 1986–87 7.871 1987–88 8.687 1988–89 8.748 1989–90 9.256 Information relating to 1990–91 is not yet available.