HL Deb 21 July 1998 vol 592 cc87-8WA
Lord Robertson of Oakridge

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the cost to the NHS of treating—

  1. (a) AIDS: and
  2. (b) sexually transmitted diseases. [HL2765]

Baroness Jay of Paddington

The Government allocate funds to the National Health Service for the treatment and care of people with HIV and AIDS and in 1998–99 this budget totalled £228.1 million. These funds are not ring-fenced, but are separately identified. HIV/AIDS prevalence is unevenly distributed and funds are allocated to health authorities broadly on the basis of where treatment takes place.

Treatment costs for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are not identified separately. Most people with STDs, including many of those with HIV and AIDS, are likely to be treated in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics which provide free, open access, confidential services. The amount spent on the GUM specialty in 1996–97 in England was £118 million, which amounts to 0.5 per cent. of the total operating expenditure of NHS trusts.* Some of this sum will be provided from the HIV/AIDS treatment and care allocation. Accordingly the total NHS spend on treating HIV/AIDS and STDs will be less than the sum of the two figures provided.

*Data from the annual financial returns and annual summarisation schedules of NHS trusts respectively.