HL Deb 22 June 1995 vol 565 cc25-6WA
Viscount Hanworth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have carried out an assessment of the impact of future surgical and medical developments on national health expenditure; and whether they consider that the present method of funding the service will remain sufficient to fund such developments.

Baroness Cumberlege

There is no precise method for measuring the impact that changing medical technology will have on National Health Service expenditure over time. In assessing future need for resources the Department looks at past trends in unit costs and activity. Where medical advance has a roughly constant effect from year to year this will be reflected in the projection of past trends. Where particular new developments are expected to lead to departures from the historic trend such changes can also be assessed and taken into account. The department continues to explore the scope for improving its understanding of the various factors which influence NHS expenditure.