§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimated NHS spending was on(a) treatment of stroke patients, (b) research on strokes and (c) stroke rehabilitation in 2003. [154948]
§ Dr. LadymanInformation on national health service spending on the treatment and rehabilitation of stroke is not collected centrally. Primary care trusts (PCTs) receive unified allocations to cover the costs of hospital and community health services, discretionary funding for general practice staff, premises and computers and primary care prescribing.
The level of funding made available for the drugs, staffing and other costs of providing stroke services are determined locally. It is for PCTs, in partnership with local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to provide health services for their populations, including those with stroke.
Management of much of the research supported by NHS research and development funding is devolved and expenditure at project level is not held centrally by the Department. The main agency through which the government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body that receives its grant-in-aid from the Office of Science and Technology. The MRC spent an estimated £4.9 million on stroke research in 2002–03.