§ Virginia BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage is of revenue costs financed by public funds at the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice, Farnham. [7558]
§ Ms BlearsI understand that 17.2 per cent, of the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice's revenue costs are financed by West Surrey health authority. We are committed to tackling inequalities in access to specialist palliative care services for patients. The Cancer Plan set out our intention to support this by investing an additional £50 million in specialist palliative care by 2004. This will mean that for the first time the national health service investment in specialist palliative care services will match that of the voluntary sector.
We have required all cancer networks to develop costed strategic investment plans for palliative care, which will inform the wider NHS planning process through health improvement programmes and service and financial frameworks for 2002–03. This will be the mechanism by which we will see inequalities in palliative care service provision addressed and also more realistic support for voluntary hospices.