§ Lord Jonesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What new financial resources have been made available in (a) England and (b) Wales to tackle problems concerning attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. [HL36]
35WA
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)We have made available 105 million of targeted central funding over four years (to 31 March 2003) to support the implementation of a national development strategy for child and adolescent mental health services in England. This includes provision for tackling problems of access and inequity across the range of mental health disorders in children and young people, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
In October 2000 the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) published an appraisal on the use of the drug methylphenidate for ADHD in children and issued clinical guidelines for its use, including a recommendation that the drug should be used as part of a comprehensive treatment programme for children with a diagnosis of severe ADHD. Appropriate funding for NICE recommendations (accepted by the Government) has been built into the allocations for health authorities. We expect the health service, working with other agencies as appropriate, to implement these guidelines.
The funding of health services in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly.