Written Assembly Questions tabled on 21 September 2015 for answer on 28 September 2015
R - Signifies the Member has declared an interest.
W - Signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
(Self identifying Question no. shown in brackets)
Written Questions must be tabled at least five working days before they are to be answered. In practice, Ministers aim to answer within seven/eight days but are not bound to do so. Answers are published in the language in which they are provided, with a translation into English of responses provided in Welsh.
To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services
Lynne Neagle (Torfaen): Will the Minister make a statement on progress implementing the Townsend formula in Wales? (WAQ69199)
Answer received on 25 September 2015
The Minister for Health and Social Services (Mark Drakeford): The Townsend formula was refreshed during 2014 to reflect the latest available needs data. The results of the latest formula were applied in the distribution of an additional £200m funding for the health service, which was issued in the 2015-16 revenue allocation letter on December 19, 2014.
I am committed to using a needs-based formula when determining the distribution of any additional funding, unless that funding is intended for specific purposes, where use of the formula would be inappropriate.
The extant policy, since the introduction of the Townsend formula, has been to apply the needs-based formula on additional allocations and not on existing core allocations. I have made no decision to move organisations towards their Townsend allocation shares for their core allocation as this may result in a reduction of allocations for some health boards, which could destabilise these organisations and the populations they serve.
Health boards' and NHS trusts' three-year integrated medium-term plans are based on the current level and distribution of the revenue allocation.
Lynne Neagle (Torfaen): What changes has the Minister made to the individual patient funding request guidance following the First Minister's comments in Plenary on 30 June that he had asked for the IPFR guidance to be amended to allow a new IPFR application when individuals demonstrate a response to a particular drug? (WAQ69200)
Answer received on 30 September 2015
Mark Drakeford: The current individual patient funding request (IPFR) national policy makes provision for clinicians to submit a new application if the patient's clinical circumstances have changed. Further detail is being incorporated into the guidance to clarify this. The revised policy will be discussed with patient groups, clinicians and the pharmaceutical industry before being finalised later this year.