§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health in the last year for which figures are available in England and Wales what was the average cost to the taxpayer of(a) each unit of blood, (b) each adult course of dental treatment, (c) each child course of dental treatment, (d) each patient consultation with a consultant and (e) each prescription dispensed.
§ Dr. MawhinneyBlood is freely donated by volunteer donors. Handling charges are made to cover the cost incurred by the regional transfusion centres in collecting, processing and supplying the blood to hospitals. In 1991–92, the average handling charge in England for a unit of whole blood was £37.00.
The average net cost of an adult course of dental treatment in England in the year 1991–92 was £19.331.
Under the new dental contract introduced on 1 October 1990, general dental practitioners now receive capitation payments for each child registered with them for dental care; numbers of individual courses of treatment are no longer separately recorded. Item of service fees are payable only for some of the more complex treatments.
The cost of a consultation with a consultant is affected by numerous factors such as the type and complexity of the condition being treated, whether in- or out-patient and location. To estimate and use such a figure would therefore be misleading.
The average cost of each prescription dispensed in England in the year 1990–91 was £6.152.
Information relating to Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
1 Average cost based on item of service fees payable for adult courses of treatment, net of patient charges, but excluding other costs such as continuing care payments payable to general dental practitioners, directly reimbursed practice expenses, and employers' superannuation costs which cannot be attributed to individual adult courses of treatment.
2 The cost includes the drug element and the dispensing fee and is net of charges.