§ Barbara FollettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost of each NHS treatment with a patient by(a) a GP, (b) a nurse, (c) a consultant and (d) a chiropodist or podiatrist was in the last three years. [38223]
§ Mr. HuttonThe cost information that we hold centrally is not based on the individual staff categories that perform given treatments and procedures, but is linked to the procedures/treatments themselves. We hold annual information on unit costs and activity for services provided by NHS Trusts, Primary Care Trusts and Personal Medical Services plus element.
288WFor chiropody/podiatry the majority of services are provided through clinics in various settings. For example in Reference Costs 2001, which was recently published, the national average cost of a chiropody/podiatry attendance was £18 in a NHS Trust. Chiropody/podiatry attendances in Primary Care Trusts and Personal Medical Service Pilots have an average cost per attendance of £18 and £10 respectively.
This information on chiropody/podiatry services has been collected for the first time for the 2000–01 publication and therefore historic information for these services is not available. The cost of a range of inpatient and day case procedures undertaken by consultants is also available.
£ Foot procedures Category 1 Category 2 Elective inpatient 913 1,104 Non-elective inpatient 1,163 1,443 Day case 527 534 The full range of reference cost information 2001 can be found on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/nhsexec/refcosts.htm. The site holds reference cost information from 1998 onwards. Details in hard copy are also held in the Library.