§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what funding was available for(a) capital and (b) running costs for neonatal intensive care services in the last two years; and what funding will be made available in the current year to enable the service to implement the recommendations of the neonatal intensive care services review; [121546]
(2) what expenditure for (a) capital and (b) running costs (i) was available prior to the statement made in the Department's March 2003 report on Neonatal Intensive Care Services and (ii) was promised in that statement as purely additional sums. [121547]
§ Dr. LadymanHistorically, capital and revenue funding for neonatal intensive care (NIC) has been sourced from health authority bale-line allocations, without segregation from funding the generality of health services. However, we have provided additional funds in recognition of the growing potential and availability of advanced levels of intervention, expertise and technological support for pre-term and sick babies, which increasingly saves the lives of even the most vulnerable, but leads to the need for greater levels of support within neonatal units.
We approved additional funding in 2000 specifically to improve the NIC services. There were three elements: £5 million revenue funding, £6.5 million capital funding for new and replacement equipment and £10.5 million funding for intensive care training for nurses, including neonatal intensive care education packages.
Further to this we have taken advice from a NIC services review, the background to which and report is available at www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/neonatal.htm and we have set up a full consultation into improving NIC services. The consultation period concludes on 11 July, following which, and to help NIC services implement the outcome, there will be additional £20 million capital funding this year and £12 million additional revenue funding, increasing to £20 million in subsequent years.