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Palliative Care: Finance

Volume 459: debated on Monday 30 April 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 14 March 2007, Official Report, column 448W, on palliative care: finance, what the baseline year is for measuring the commitment to double spending on palliative care services; what the level of expenditure on palliative care services was in the baseline year; and by what date she intends to meet the commitment to double spending on palliative care services. (131886)

The NHS Operating Framework for 2007-08 highlighted the importance of primary care trusts (PCTs) undertaking baseline reviews of their end of life care services. We will be issuing guidance on what the reviews should cover shortly. These reviews will provide information on the current position of end of life care services in PCTs and will help support the implementation of the end of life care strategy when it is published.

As part of the end of life care strategy, the analytical and modelling working group will be examining the true cost of providing end of life care. They will aim to estimate the cost of the services provided across the board by both the national health service and the voluntary sector, both general and specialist, in the last three to six months of a patient’s life and the current expenditure on end of life care services.

This information will inform the delivery of the Government’s manifesto commitment.