§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what increased resources she has provided for the NHS to fulfil the standards and expectations raised by the patients charter.
§ Mr. MaloneThe patients charter is about doing things differently, changing ineffective working practices, providing a more patient-orientated service and adopting good practice from elsewhere. This need not require additional resources. Funding for the national health service in 1995–96 will increase by £1.3 billion—that is 1 per cent. in real terms. In addition, we expect hospital and community services to improve efficiency by at least 3 per cent. which is equivalent to an extra £600 million for patient care. As a result patients will continue to receive improving standards of service across the whole of the NHS, including those set out in the patients charter.