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Dept of Health

Answer

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on funding allocated through the LIFT programme to improve primary care in Stoke- on-Trent, North. [177627] Dr. Ladyman: Funding for premises development, whether through local investment finance trusts (LIFT) or other means, is not allocated directly to projects by the Department. It is allocated to groups of primary care trusts (PCTs), which must decide what their priorities are and how they intend to spend their allocation. My hon. Friend's constituency is served by North Stoke PCT, which is one of four PCTs collaborating in the North Staffordshire LIFT project. North Stoke PCT will be able to provide new primary care centres in Bucknall, Cobridge and Packmoor. The North Staffordshire LIFT project has an estimated capital value of £20 million, of which some £5.8 million is accounted for by the North Stoke elements. In addition, the Department has made available capital funding to help kick start LIFT projects. The North Staffordshire LIFT project has been allocated £5.4 million to date. North Stoke PCT is using its share of these funds to purchase sites for the health centres at Bucknall, Cobridge and Packmoor. It has also used them to purchase temporary premises to serve the people of Packmoor until the permanent health centre there is operational. These temporary premises opened in April 2003 and have already significantly improved access to health services for local people.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

177627; 422 c684W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Health services Finance Primary care trusts Stoke on Trent Local investment finance trust scheme

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk