§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he has taken to attempt to redress the imbalance of funding through the Eastern Health Board's Capitation Formula. [166047]
§ Angela SmithEquity in resource allocation within a Board area is a matter for the Board concerned. The Eastern Board is working with all of its HSS Trusts to ensure that, within the resources available, the issue of equity is addressed throughout all its local populations.
A review of the Capitation Formula, currently used to allocate the available resources to HSS Boards, is due to be published for consultation in May 2004. This may alter the equity position to some extent within the Eastern Board localities.
The Department will continue to work closely with the Eastern Board on this matter.