§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the national health service of providing long-term care for the chronically sick and terminally ill for each of the last five years.
Mr. BowlsInformation on the cost of different services provided for the chronically sick and terminally ill is not aggregated centrally. People with long-term health care needs are supported by a wide range of professionals and services within the national health service including in-patient hospital care, general practitioner and primary care support, continuing care in hospital or an alternative facility and NHS contributions towards social services led packages of care.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Sackville), gave the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) on 5 December at columns 89–90, for information on palliative care.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the projected cost to the national health service of providing long-term care for the chronically sick and terminally ill in(a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97.
§ Mr. BowisFinancial allocations are made to district health authorities and general practitioner fundholders. They will determine the specific levels of service required to meet local priorities and the needs of their local population.