§ Mr. AmosTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the level of spending by the Northern regional health authority in 1979, 1987 and the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. DorrellThe information requested, which is derived from the annual accounts of the health authorities comprising the Northern region for the financial years 1979–80, 1987–88 and 1990–91—the latest available—is shown in the table.
The figures—when expressed at 1991–92 prices—represent real terms increases of 26.8 per cent. for revenue expenditure and 35.2 per cent. for capital expenditure between 1979–80 and 1990–91.
Northern region—Total expenditure on hospital and community health services (HCHS) Revenue Capital £000(cash) £000 (at 1991–92 prices) £000 (cash) £000 (at 1991–92 prices) 1979–80 337,996 785,842 27,590 64,146 1987–88 726,424 962,367 52,432 69,462 1990–91 931,400 996,598 81,122 86,800 Source:
Annual accounts of the Northern regional health authority (RHA) and the district (formerly area) health authorities comprising the Northern region.
Notes:
1. Expenditure on the HCHS covers services directly managed and/or accounted for by the health authorities (at the relevant time) including hospital, community health, patient transport (i.e. ambulance), blood transfusion and other services.
2. The figures for 1990–91 are as yet subject to audit. All figures have been expressed at 1991–92 prices by the use of gross domestic product deflators.
271W
§ Mr. AmosTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors and nurses were employed by the Northern regional health authority in 1979, 1987 and the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe information is given in the table.
Year at 30 September Medical and Dental1 Nursing and Midwifery2 1979 2,530 323,940 1987 2,810 27,540 1990 2,990 427,310 Note: The slight fall in the figures of nursing and midwifery staff in post between 1987 and 1990 relates to three separate factors: the transfer of senior nurses in management jobs from the senior nurse pay structure to the senior management pay structure; the inclusion of Project 2000 nursing students in staff-in-post returns; and the cessation of enrolled nurse training. Source:Department of Health medical and non-medical censuses. 1 Includes permanent paid, honorary and locum staff. 2 Includes agency staff. 3 Not adjusted for reduction in nurses working hours during 1980–81 (from 40 to 37.5 hours per week). 4 Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 whole-time equivalents.
§ Mr. AmosTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of people on and the duration of waiting lists in the Northern regional health authority in 1979, 1987 and the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe information requested is given in the table. Provisional figures show that since 1987 the number of patients waiting over two years has fallen by more than 83 per cent. and the number waiting over one year by 36 per cent. The region expects to have no patient waiting over two years by 31 March.
Wailing lists 11979 1987 21991 In-patients Number waiting over one year 9,526 6,853 4,213 Number waiting over two years — 2,525 488 Total number waiting 47,642 37,420 39,749 Day cases Number waiting over one year — 1,290 990 Number waiting over two years — 1,004 100 Total number waiting — 10,059 16,904 Total all cases n.a. 47,479 56,653 1 Day case waiting lists and over two years waiters were first collected in 1987. 2 Provisional figures for December 1991.