§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people in each health trust in England are registered as suffering from(a) AIDS and (b) other sexually transmitted diseases; and what the equivalent figures were for each of the last two years; [134478]
(2) how many current recipients of NHS treatment for AIDS he estimates are not British citizens; [134479]
(3) what action he is taking to ensure that treatment provided to non-UK citizens for AIDS does not result in inferior levels of treatment for British citizens suffering from other sexually transmitted diseases. [134480]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answers 27 October 2003]: Data on HIV and AIDS for individual health trusts are not held centrally, although data are held by region. The table gives figures broken down according to English region for 2000 to 2002 (the latest available).
Diagnosed HIV-infected patients for whom most advanced clinical stage reported as AIDS—by region of residence when last seen for care and year of survey1 AIDS Region of residence 2000 2001 2002 Yorkshire and Humberside (2001) n/a 187 239 North East (2001) n/a 78 94 Northern and Yorkshire (pre 2001) 182 n/a n/a East Midlands (2001) n/a I87 249 Trent (pre 2001) 179 n/a n/a West Midlands 190 252 308 North West 439 502 548 Eastern 244 297 392 London 3,323 3,814 4,329 South East 524 627 725 South West 209 242 255 England total2 5,290 6,187 7,147 1 Excludes asymptomatic HIV and symptomatic pre-AIDS. 2 Includes patients whose region of residence not known. Note:
Regional border and definition changes April 2001.
Source:
Health Protection Agency, survey of prevalent diagnosed HIV infections in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (SOPHID).
Data on sexually transmitted infections for individual health trusts are not held centrally. The table provides data on all diagnosed infections at genito-urinary medicine clinics (excluding HIV and AIDS) according to English region for 2000 to 2002 (latest available).
511W
Region 2000 2001 2002 East Midlands 33,738 35,532 37,697 Eastern 47,010 50,742 54,321 London 169,129 181,367 186,95 North East 19,712 18,764 19,325
Region 2000 2001 2002 North West 56,286 60,679 63,268 South East 79,685 81,693 86,977 South West 43,373 46,573 49,564 West Midlands 40,670 46,555 48,860 Yorkshire and Humberside 45,070 49,104 51,971 England total 534,673 571,009 598,933 Source:
Health Protection Agency.
Eligibility for free NHS hospital treatment is based on residency in the UK, not on nationality. Anyone who is ordinarily resident in this country is entitled to free treatment, except when there are statutory charges for services, such as prescription charges. Anyone who is not ordinarily resident in the UK may be charged for any hospital treatment they receive, unless exempt under the provisions of the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989. Whether chargeable or not, no one receives preferential treatment for HIV/AIDS or any other health condition on the basis of their nationality, but are treated according to clinical need.
Data on the citizenship of people who receive NHS treatment for HIV/AIDS are not collected.