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7 Nov 2002 : Column 515W—continued

Nursing Courses

Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department collates on how many applications for pre-registration nursing courses are rejected on the ground that the supply of places cannot keep up with demand; and if he will make a statement. [79712]

Mr. Hutton: The Department does not collect or collate information on the number of applications to nursing programmes that are rejected. Applications for entry to nurse education are processed by the nursing and midwifery admissions service who operate a clearing system for those individuals who are not immediately placed with a university. The number of undergraduate pre-registration training places available each year are determined through work force planning processes led locally by work force development confederations.

7 Nov 2002 : Column 516W

Beef Assurance Scheme

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list abattoirs in the South West and South East of England which will slaughter animals over the age of 30 months but less than 42 months under the Government's Beef Assurance Scheme; and if he will make a statement on the Government's support of organic farming; [78919]

(2) what legislation prevents abattoirs from slaughtering cattle over the age of 30 months under the Beef Assurance Scheme. [78920]

Ms Blears [holding answers 5 November 2002]: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that licensed abattoirs are free to slaughter animals reared under the beef assurance scheme, but only a number choose to do so. There is no legislation to prevent abattoirs from slaughtering such cattle, but there are controls in place relating to the removal of vertebral column from animals over 30 months of age.

Organic farming is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Community Health Councils

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects community health councils to be abolished. [79892]

Ms Blears: Community Health Councils (CHCs) will be abolished once the new arrangements for patient and public involvement are functioning. There is no abolition date for CHCs as yet, but we will make an announcement as soon as a date is set.

Heart Operations

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 23 October to the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham, column 400W, whether NHS patients will have a choice of all the listed hospitals for their heart operations. [79964]

Ms Blears: Each referring hospital has identified a number of core options which are most likely to meet the individual needs of local patients.

If a patient would prefer to go to a local hospital that is not included in these options for the treatment their patient care advisor will have up to date information on all the hospitals in this country or elsewhere in Europe that are suitable for the patient and should seek to arrange their treatment according to their wishes.

The choices will depend on the nature of the patient's illness. For some patients who are very ill or who have other illnesses as well, it may be that some of the options on offer do not have the facilities or expertise needed to treat them.

Abortion

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) NHS and (b) private clinics are licensed to perform abortions up to birth; and if he will list them. [79815]

7 Nov 2002 : Column 517W

Ms Blears: Abortions undertaken after 24 weeks gestation can only be performed in a National Health Service hospital.

Under Section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967, as amended, NHS hospitals do not need the Secretary of State for Health's approval to perform abortion, at any gestation. However, a pregnancy may only be terminated if two registered medical practitioners are of the opinion, formed in good faith that an abortion is justified within the terms of the Act, in the light of their clinical judgement of all the particular circumstances of the individual case.

Beyond 24 weeks gestation, an abortion can only be performed when:

the termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman; or

the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated; or

7 Nov 2002 : Column 518W

there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped; or

to save the life or to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.

General Practitioners

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GPs were practising in England and Wales in each of the last five years, broken down by region. [75525]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 21 October 2002]: The information requested for England is shown in the table. The information relating to Wales is a matter for the devolved Administration.

The numbers of general practitioners (GPs) and trainee GPs continue to grow, with GP registrar numbers at their highest ever level. In March 2002 there were 1,910 GP registrars. These are the GPs of the future.

All General Medical Practitioners (Excluding GP Retainers)⁽⁴⁾ Of Which NHS Plan GPs⁽⁵⁾ And Unrestricted Principle & Equivalents (UPEs)⁽⁶⁾ In England As At 1 October 1997 to 1999 30 September 2000 to 2001 And 31 March 2002 By Strategic Health Authority⁽⁷⁾

			1997		1998	1998		1999	1999		2000	2000		2001	2001		March 2002
DHSC	Strategic Health Authority	All Practitioners Excl GP Retainers	Of Which NHS Plan	UPEs	All Practitioners Excl GP Retainers	Of Which NHS Plan	UPEs	All Practitioners Excl GP Retainers	Of Which NHS Plan	UPEs	All Practitioners Excl GP Retainers	Of Which NHS Plan	UPEs	All Practitioners Excl GP Retainers	Of Which NHS Plan	UPEs	All Practitioners Excl GP Retainers	Of Which NHS Plan	UPEs
North	Cheshire & Merseyside	1,421	1,338	1,316	1,413	1,337	1,316	1,458	1,381	1,318	1,458	1,366	1,334	1,481	1,375	1,328	1,485	1,385	1330
	County Durham & Tees Valley	648	621	614	650	620	614	656	626	621	661	634	617	696	662	627	685	658	640
	Cumbria & Lancashire	1,134	1,066	1,070	1,147	1,109	1,081	1,158	1,106	1,083	1,152	1,105	1,079	1,174	1,118	1,087	1,194	1,120	1091
	Greater Manchester	1,485	1,424	1,393	1,484	1,433	1,397	1,510	1,452	1,407	1,523	1,480	1,408	1,518	1,441	1,391	1,520	1,443	1,400
	North & East Yorkshire & Northern Lincolnshire	999	944	921	991	944	925	1,011	950	926	1,021	948	932	1,039	970	941	1,082	902	953
	Northumberland Tyne & Wear	836	811	789	856	806	785	864	820	794	875	819	802	907	852	830	928	861	832
	South Yorkshire	758	718	716	758	723	715	772	731	721	778	733	723	794	739	725	788	740	723
	West Yorkshire	1,264	1,197	1,177	1,279	1,206	1,186	1,309	1,230	1,204	1,324	1,234	1,209	1,358	1,278	1,238	1,380	1,291	1257
Midlands & Eastern	Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire	915	883	870	944	902	883	948	903	886	955	903	887	985	907	888	985	904	888
	Birmingham & the Black Country	1,327	1,293	1,261	1,343	1,301	1,265	1,357	1,313	1,263	1,380	1,317	1,273	1,391	1,315	1,267	1,411	1,322	1255
	Coventry, Warwickshire Herefordshire & Worcestershire	907	859	832	901	867	840	906	873	844	924	870	847	941	894	857	971	891	861
	Essex	849	821	810	862	830	819	860	831	826	857	829	819	851	816	810	862	824	818
	Lancastershire, Northamptonshire & Rutland	908	843	826	902	843	830	896	829	811	877	823	806	894	833	821	895	827	817
	Norfolk, Sulfolk & Cambridgeshire	1,316	1,263	1,226	1,335	1,276	1,238	1,348	1,283	1,244	1,371	1,293	1,265	1,388	1,302	1,259	1,397	1,323	1288
	Shropshire & Staffordshire	782	762	747	813	778	765	830	799	786	838	795	775	825	765	768	827	785	773
	Trent	1,430	1,370	1,353	1,459	1,392	1,376	1,471	1,413	1,393	1,507	1,438	1,409	1,543	1,445	1,412	1,513	1,441	1411
London	North Central London	788	744	671	802	750	687	786	747	880	819	789	694	804	751	682	809	755	864
	North East London	888	849	768	896	848	800	894	848	802	925	874	809	899	855	794	913	849	798
	North West London	1,209	1,164	970	1,188	1,128	969	1,134	1,091	972	1,125	1,081	958	1,150	1,093	976	1,121	1,070	967
	South East London	868	833	774	962	830	794	901	866	807	886	855	807	904	875	817	894	867	828
	South West London	779	734	666	767	717	681	781	725	686	793	728	685	788	727	681	812	744	683
South	Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire	1,325	1,262	1,235	1,374	1,298	1,280	1,404	1,312	1,282	1,424	1,324	1,296	1,442	1,333	1,312	1,447	1,352	1322
	Hampshire & Isle of Wight	1,080	1,011	998	1,070	1,020	1,005	1,089	1,027	1,012	1,099	1,034	1,021	1,122	1,034	1,024	1,130	1,035	1024
	Kent & Medway	904	870	548	916	873	842	918	675	853	901	866	847	915	864	648	812	868	848
	Dorset & Somerset	794	748	731	820	762	747	843	774	757	845	786	767	867	792	771	869	794	770
	South West Peninsula	1,066	1,004	993	1,063	1,011	1,001	1,060	1,010	1,002	1,093	1,019	1,008	1,121	1,034	1,023	1,112	1,036	1028
	Surrey & Sussex	1,486	1,412	1,367	1,518	1,432	1,383	1,522	1,431	1,385	1,531	1,442	1,400	1,571	1,455	1,408	1,588	1,470	1414
	Thames Valley	1,232	1,182	1,159	1,264	1,215	1,186	1,301	1,243	1,218	1,308	1,247	1,227	1,335	1,267	1,246	1,382	1,285	1257
England Total		29,389	28,046	27,099	29,897	28,251	27,392	29,397	28,467	27,581	30,252	28,583	27,704	30,685	28,802	27,843	30,858	28,950	27,956

Notes:

⁽⁴⁾ All General Medical Practitioners (excluding GP Retainers) include GMS Unrestricted Principal. PMS Contracted GPs. Restricted Principles. Assistants. GP Registers. Salaried Doctors (para 52 SFA) and PMS Other

⁽⁵⁾ NHS Plan GPs include GMS Unrestricted Principles. PMS Contracted GPs. PMS Salaried GPs. Restricted Principle, Assistants. Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA) and PMS Others

⁽⁶⁾ UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principles PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Selected GPs

Date has been converted to match boundaries as at April 2002

Source:

Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

7 Nov 2002 : Column 519W

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many salaried (a) general practitioners and (b) dentists are employed in the Camden and Islington area. [79643]

Mr. Hutton: These figures are on a headcount basis rather than whole time equivalent (wte) and take no account of part-time working. Dentists working in more than one dental service are included in each service.

These figures exclude self employed principal dentists working in the general dental service (GDS) and their assistants.

Number of salaried dentists working in the NHS at 30 September 2001 Camden and Islington Health Authority

Health Authority	Salaried service of General Dental Service	Personal Dental Service	Community Dental Service(7)	Hospital Dental Service(7)	Total(7)
Camden and Islington	1	1	20	110	130

Notes:

⁽⁷⁾ Figures are rounded to the nearest ten.

The table below shows data for salaried general practitioners which as been taken from the latest mini census (31 March 2002).

7 Nov 2002 : Column 520W

Salaried General Medical Practitioners in Camden & Islington Health Authority, London RO and England as at 31 March 2002numbers (headcount)

	England		London RO		Camden & Islington HA
	Total of which Salaried		Total of which Salaried		Total of which Salaried
All Practitioners	32,011	4,452	4,674	764	275	54
of which
Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)(8)	27,956	489(9)	3,970	84(9)	224	5(9)
Restricted Principals	92	0	24	0	2	0
Assistants	476	476	173	173	9	9
GP Registrars	1,908	1,908	264	264	27	27
Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA)	100	100	35	35	6	6
PMS Other	326	326	83	83	1	1
GP Retainers	1,153	1,153	125	125	6	6

Notes:

⁽⁸⁾ Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs) includes GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.

⁽⁹⁾ Salaried UPEs data are to be treated with caution Salaried PMS Principals data were not submitted by the majority of Health Authorities. This is likely to be an underestimate.

Source:

General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's estimate is of the average number of patients allocated to each general practitioner in the Camden and Islington area. [79645]

Mr. Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table.

Unrestricted Principals And Equivalents (UPEs)⁽¹⁰⁾ And Average List Size As At 30 September 2001numbers (headcount)

	UPEs	Average List Size
England Total	27,843	1,841
of which:
London RO	3,962	1,985
of which:
Camden & Islington HA	225	2,039

Note:

⁽¹⁰⁾ UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.

Source:

General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

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