HC Deb 19 April 2004 vol 420 cc178-9W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost of reimbursing people who had not received NHS continuing care to which they were entitled following the Health Service Ombudsman's report; and if he will estimate what impact the review of eligibility criteria will have on the cost of free personal care. [164872]

Dr. Ladyman

Funding was made available to strategic health authorities to cover the estimated costs of recompense claims for patients inappropriately denied fully funded National Health Service continuing care. The Department does not routinely publish details of estimated costs of a specific service. Any variation in future costs of free personal care remains within the range of estimates previously made by the Department.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate how many people have not received NHS continuing care because of strict eligibility criteria who will now receive such care after the review of eligibility criteria following the Health Service Ombudsman's report. [164873]

Dr. Ladyman

It is not possible to make an assessment of the number of people affected by changes in fully funded National Health Service continuing care criteria. It is expected that strategic health authorities will provide continuing care based on assessed needs, in accordance with their local eligibility criteria, following review of those criteria.