Mr. Mike O' BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much general practitioner fundholder practice budgets per patient have changed as a percentage and in real terms in each of the last two years; and if she will make a statement on differences between provider price rises and fundholding price rises and their impact on patients. [25207]
§ Mr. MaloneBetween 1993–94 and 1994–95, the most recent years for which national information is available, the hospital and community health services element of fundholder budgets increased by an average of 5 per cent. per patient—3 per cent. per patient in real terms.
Relevant information on provider prices is not available centrally. Fundholders' budgets represent their patients' fair share of local resources. It is for fundholding general practitioners, like health authority purchasers, to contract with hospitals to achieve the best balance of care for their patients.