§ Mr. RuffleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much National Cancer Plan funding has been allocated to hospices in(a) Suffolk and (b) the eastern region. [63807]
§ Mr. LammyVoluntary hospice services in eastern region are, in common with the rest of the country, funded from a variety of sources in addition to voluntary funding.
Priorities for development are determined by each cancer network board (of which health authorities; primary care trusts and national health service trusts are part).
Palliative care priorities for development (including hospices) are first determined within each network's palliative care strategy and then prioritised against other cancer priorities as part of the network's overall three year strategic plan.
Suffolk Health Authority invested £1,460,858 in voluntary hospices in 2001–02 rising to £1,527,757 in 2002–03.
During the same period the whole eastern region invested £8,177,426 in voluntary hospices in 2001–02 rising to £8,545,111 in 2002–03.