Table 1

Unit costs of health care and housing modifications in UK pounds (£)

Typeof costUnitUnit costaDetails
Healthcare resources
 GP surgery consultationConsultation25Per consultation lasting 10 min15
 GP phone consultationConsultation31Per consultation lasting 10.8 min15
 GP home visitConsultation69Per consultation lasting 13.2 min plus 12 min travel time15
 Practice nurse consultationConsultation10Per consultation lasting 15.5 min15
 Paediatric thoracic outpatient clinicConsultation226Mean of first and follow-up thoracic consultation (£240 and £213)16
 Paediatric outpatient clinicConsultation188Mean of first and follow-up appointment general paediatric (£228 and £149)16
 Accident and emergency visitConsultation80Department of Health (2006)16
 Inpatient stay (asthma-related cost)Day453Mean cost per bed day16
 PrescribingItemVariousDepartment of Health (2006)17
Local authority housing modificationsb
Costs by intention to treatVentilation onlyVentilation plusWhole sample
(n = 69)heating (n = 19)(n = 88)
 Mean (SD)1179 (1100)3675 (1999)1718 (1685)
 Range (minimum to maximum)0 to 69240 to 74300 to 7430
 Total intervention cost81 32569 827151 152
Costs by treatment receivedVentilation onlyVentilation plusHousing improvement
(n = 63)heating (n = 25)(n = 88)
 Mean (SD)913 (279)3746 (2027)1718 (1685)
 Range (minimum to maximum)0 to 17340 to 74300 to 7430
 Total intervention cost57 50793 645151 152

  • ↵a NHS costs include salary, on-costs, qualifications, overheads, and capital costs: all rounded to the nearest £.

  • ↵b Local authority costs depend on the system required for each house. Costs include 12% administration cost. One house from each subgroup had no modification.