§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of extra NHS funding for the period 2001–02 relative to the previous year is dedicated to special palliative services and hospice care; [149607]
(2) if he will calculate the level of NHS statutory funding for hospices in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion of total hospice operational costs the statutory funding covered in each of the last 10 years; [149608]
432W(3) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current level of NHS statutory funding for hospices; and if he will make a statement. [149609]
§ Yvette Cooper70 per cent. of specialist palliative care is provided by voluntary sector providers. Information on total hospice expenditure and the National Health Service contribution over the last 10 years is not available.
A current estimate of expenditure on hospice and specialist palliative care for adults is £300 million. Of this, £170 million is provided by the voluntary sector and £130 million by the NHS.
The NHS Cancer Plan acknowledged that
hospices have rightly argued that the NHS should invest more in palliative care services".In response, the Plan set out the commitment that by 2004 the NHS will invest an extra £50 million to end inequalities in access to specialist palliative care and to enable the NHS to make a realistic contribution to the cost hospices incur in providing agreed levels of service. This will mean that, for the first time ever, NHS investment in specialist palliative care services will match that of the voluntary sector.
The NHS Plan Implementation Programme sets out key targets and milestones for the NHS for 2001–02 including the requirement for all cancer networks to develop and begin implementing costed strategic plans for palliative care in partnership with the voluntary sector. This process is now under way.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been paid to(a) Darien House Children's Hospice and (b) St. Catherine's Hospice in 2000–01. [150338]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 13 February 2001]: During 2000–01, Darien House Children's Hospice received statutory funding totalling £21,000 from the south and east Lancashire health authorities. St. Catherine's Hospice received £488,384 during the same period from the south Lancashire and north-west Lancashire health authorities.