§ Mr. Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will announce the conclusions of his assessment of the recommendations of the evaluation study by the University of York Health Economics Consortium of the Powered Wheelchair and Voucher Scheme initiatives. [118792]
§ Mr. HuttonThe report of the evaluation conducted by the York Health Economics Consortium reached two major conclusions. First, additional funds were needed if the electrically powered indoor/outdoor wheelchair (EPIOCs) scheme is to meet its objectives fully. Secondly, 215W the voucher scheme had largely met its broad objectives of improving choice but relatively few wheelchair users had benefited from it when the evaluation was conducted. The report recommended that continuation of the voucher scheme should be a matter for local discretion. However, since then the take-up of vouchers has risen steadily.
We have committed ourselves to ending the variations in health care provision across the country. For that reason, we could not agree that voucher schemes should become discretionary. We want all disabled people to be able to exercise choice. We therefore announced on 29 March that the current funding level of £14 million for powered wheelchairs and voucher schemes will be made recurrent from 1 April. We decided that:
- (i) continued allocation of £14 million should be free of distinctions between what should be spent on powered wheelchairs or voucher schemes, and that health authorities and provider services should consult with service users and take a flexible approach to ensuring this money meets local needs and priorities in wheelchair services; and:
- (ii) that all services should continue to operate a voucher scheme which offers users a choice in having a wheelchair which meets their needs.
On 29 March we placed the York Health Economics Consortium's report on the National Health Services internet site to ensure service commissioners and providers have access to it.
§ Mr. Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to continue the provision of ring-fenced funds for the EPIOC scheme and the wheelchair voucher scheme on the same basis as in 1996. [118797]
§ Mr. HuttonFunds were ring-fenced between 1996–2000 to phase in £50 million for the electrically powered indoor/outdoor chairs (EPIOCs) and voucher schemes. Guidance indicated that funding level in the final year, 1999–2000, would become recurrent in National Health Service baseline budgets.
On 29 March I announced plans to allocate to health authorities £14 million for EPIOCs and the wheelchair voucher scheme in 2000–01. This sum is some £6 million greater than that provided in 1996–97. The money will be added recurrently to health authority baselines rather than on a one year at a time basis as in the past, to secure the long-term future of both schemes. Also, health authorities will now be able to use the money flexibly to meet the needs and preferences of local service users, whether that be for EPIOCs, vouchers, or other wheelchair service priorities.