§ Mr. HansonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the NHS of treatment of osteoporosis patients, both in hospital and the community, in each year since 1985.
§ Mr. SackvilleThis information is not collected centrally. However, the office of health economics has estimated that hospital in-patient expenditure on osteoporosis was £128 million in 1985–86 in England and Wales. In 1991–92 prices, this figure would be of the order of £200 million. These estimates do not take into account the cost of out-patient treatment and the costs of general practitioner services, including the prescribing of hormone replacement therapy and other drugs.
§ Mr. HansonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of recorded cases of osteoporosis in the years 1985 to 1991.
§ Mr. SackvilleInformation is not available in the form requested, as there is no requirement to record the diagnosis in general practice and many patients with osteoporosis will not be admitted to hospital. The estimated number of discharges and deaths with a main diagnosis of osteoporosis was 2,000 in England in 1985, according to the hospital in-patient inquiry. The estimated number of completed episodes, ordinary and day case admissions, with a main diagnosis of osteoporosis was 3,700 in England in 1989–90, according to the hospital episode statistics. The effect on the figures of the change in definition cannot readily be quantified, but it is believed to be of a relatively small order of magnitude.