Health Care Funding (Hansard, 16 January 2002)

§ Mr. Burns
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 8 January 2002, how much funding for health care per patient there is in the parliamentary constituencies of(a) Sedgefield, (b) West Chelmsford, (c) South-West Surrey and (d) North-West Hampshire. [27035]

§ Mr. Hutton
The health authorities for these parliamentary constituencies, and their allocations per weighted head of population (provided on 8 January) and unweighted head of population in 2001–02, are shown in the table.
It is more meaningful to show health authority allocations per head of population using weighted populations. This is because funding takes into account the relative needs of populations using a weighted capitation formula.

§ Jacqui Smith
Announced with the NHS Plan was additional funding to fast forward the National Service Framework. In 2001–02 £12.35 million revenue and £68 million for capital projects will be allocated. In 2002–03 an additional £93.5 million revenue and £79 million capital, and in 2003–04 £312 million revenue and £26 million capital will be allocated.
In 2001–02 most of the revenue will be spent on improving services in the high security hospitals and in prisons. Revenue in 2002–03 to 2003–04 will be spent on crisis resolution, assertive outreach, early intervention, primary care workers, and services for women and carers. Capital funding will be spent on improving services in the high secure hospitals and in prisons.

§ Mr. Wray
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what range of services is available to someone with severe mental health problems; how much is being spent on mental health services by his Department in 2001–02; and what plans there are to increase this amount. [25160]

§ Jacqui Smith
Our policy for England as set out in the Mental Health National Service Framework and the NHS Plan is to ensure that each person with a severe mental illness problem receives the range of mental health services he or she needs. Each person who is in receipt of specialist mental health services should have his or her health and social care needs assessed, and a written care plan should be agreed with him or her. A care 391W co-ordinator should ensure that the necessary services are provided, and that the plan is reviewed as the person's needs change.
The range of services available may include:

support from a multi-disciplinary community mental health team;

access to community-based outpatient and day-care services;

intensive support from an early intervention team for a young person with a first episode of a psychosis such as schizophrenia;

assertive outreach for a person with complex needs who tends to disengage from services;

access round the clock to a crisis resolution team which can, if appropriate, provide home treatment until the crisis is resolved;

timely access, if necessary, to an appropriate hospital bed or alternative bed or place, such as a crisis house, in the least restrictive environment consistent with the need to protect the service user and the public, and as close to home as possible;

24-hour staffed accommodation in the community;

supported housing;

employment rehabilitation services;

advocacy services;

welfare rights advice;

in-reach services for those in prison.
The range of services currently available varies across the country. All areas in England have recently undertaken a comprehensive review of their mental health services, and are working towards full implementation of the National Service Framework and NHS Plan.
In 2001–02 an additional £12.35 million revenue and £59 million capital will be made available. This funding is on top of the general allocations to health authorities. In 2002–03 an additional £93.5 million revenue and £70 million capital, and in 2003–04 an additional £312 million revenue and £17 million capital.

§ Mr. Heald
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the(a) number and (b) proportion of people who suffer clinical depression (i) at any one time, (ii) during the course of the most recent year for which figures are available and (iii) during their lifetimes. [24529]

§ Jacqui Smith
[holding answer 8 January 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 8 January 2002, Official Report, columns 663–64W.