HC Deb 16 June 2003 vol 407 c70W
John Mann

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of inequality in healthcare provision. [118718]

Mr. Hutton

A weighted capitation formula is used to determine primary care trusts' (PCTs) target shares of available resources to enable them to commission similar levels of healthcare for populations with similar healthcare needs.

From 2003–04, the healthcare need element of the formula has been updated to use better measures of deprivation which are now available.

It is for PCTs, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.