Annex A > Chapter 6 - Funding and Resources > The allocation of resources to the Regional Health Authority
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The allocation of resources to the Regional Health Authority
The Resource Allocation Working Party (RAWP)
7 From 1977, the allocation of resources to health authorities for hospital and community health services has been based upon methods recommended by the 1976 `Report of the Resource Allocation Working Party' (RAWP). The report introduced:
- setting health authority targets for revenue based upon the relative estimated needs of their populations;
- setting health authority targets for capital, based on the estimated relative needs of their populations, and estimates of the value of capital stock;
- setting the pace of change in reconciling health authority allocations to targets, subject to ceilings and floors on gains and losses;
- estimating the service increment for teaching (SIFT [3]) rates per student for undergraduates studying medicine and dentistry;
- making extra allowances for higher costs of employment in areas such as London (London Weighting). [4]
The overriding principle of RAWP was to provide an equitable pattern of resource allocation that would lead to equality of access to healthcare throughout the country. [5]
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Footnotes
[3] Later, service increment for teaching and research
[4] Various changes were made to the RAWP methodology over the period of the Inquiry's Terms of Reference. These are summarised by Mr Bevan at INQ 0047 0012 - 0013 ; `National and Regional Resource Allocation Frameworks and Funding Availability for Acute Sector Health Services at Bristol'. See Annex B
[5] UBHT 0339 0058; B&WHA Budget 1984/85 - Distribution by Formula to Regions