News / Rise in children’s tariff top-up

The Department of Health has increased the tariff top-up for specialised services for children in 2009/10 after concern that children’s trusts could lose out under the initial arrangements.

The top-up was first set at 63% in the confirmed arrangements for payment by results set out by the Department on 5 February. But at the end of March the Department told finance directors it would increase the top-up to 78%.

It said the change was made after work with specialised children’s trusts to understand the impact of the tariff arrangements in 2009/10. To mitigate the impact to

commissioners, the Department has allocated the £25m needed to fund the change to primary care trusts using the weighted capitation formula to target those PCTs with a higher proportion of under-19s.

No changes have been made to the list of eligible trusts. Only those organisations eligible for children’s services top-up payments in 2008/09 will receive the payments in 2009/10.

The percentage for the other specialised service that attracts top-ups, orthopaedics, remains at 14%. As in 2008/09, all organisations are eligible for this top-up.