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Written question asked by Lord Field of Birkenhead (Labour) on Tuesday, 24 October 2017, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 26 October 2017. It was answered by Philip Dunne (Conservative) on Wednesday, 1 November 2017 on behalf of the Department of Health.

NHS Direct

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total cost to the public purse of NHS Direct has been in each year since its formation in March 1998.

Answer

As a National Health Service trust, NHS Direct generated income to cover its operating activities, usually resulting in a small surplus. The majority of this income was earned from NHS bodies such as strategic health authorities and primary care trusts. The amounts reported each year in NHS Direct’s annual report and accounts for its net surplus and its operating expenses were as follows:

Financial year

Retained surplus / (deficit) for the year
£000s

Total operating expenses £000s

2004/05

1,011

147,351

2005/06

4,420

151,316

2006/07

2,329

145,560

2007/08

5,062

141,265

2008/09 (restated)

2,529

159,540

2009/10

448

190,227

2010/11

2,733

145,819

2011/12

488

142,881

2012/13

(68,282)

207,547

2013/14

(30,713)

109,546

The Department does not hold data for earlier financial years.

The data for 2008-09 have been restated to reflect the first time adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards, thereby ensuring comparability with subsequent financial years. The data for earlier financial years were prepared using the UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice applicable at the time.

NHS Direct was dissolved in 2014. Operating expenses shown above for 2012-13 and 2013-14 include costs of decommissioning.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
109332
Session
2017-19
Registered interest declared
Yes
Subjects
Costs NHS Direct
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk