House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 9 Dec 2002 (pt 41)

9 Dec 2002 : Column 160W—continued

Food Standards Agency

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many products which are accepted as safe by the Food Standards Agency he expects to (a) be removed from the United Kingdom market and (b) have to be substantially reformulated when the full provisions of the Food Supplements Directive are implemented; and what estimate he has made of the costs of such compliance. [84573]

Ms Blears: The impact of the Directive on the future availability of products currently on the United Kingdom market will depend upon future developments on lists of permitted nutrients and on maximum levels of nutrients in food supplements. The Food Standards Agency is currently consulting on a maximum reformulation cost assessment of #4 million based on an assumption that no further nutrient sources are approved.

Foster Care (Recruitment)

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 25 November 2002, Official Report, column 136W, regarding recruitment of foster

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carers, what methods he used to conclude that the profile of foster care had been raised by the recruitment campaign. [84761]

Jacqui Smith: The method used to conclude that the profile of foster care had been raised by the recruitment campaign was through the number of responses received by the national call centre by people requesting further information. It was clear that people rang in because of their interest in the positive role of foster care as

9 Dec 2002 : Column 162W

described in the campaign through television, radio and other media coverage.

General Practitioners

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average age is of GPs in the Havering Primary Care Trust area; and how many will reach retirement age before 2006. [85076]

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

General medical practitioners by age in Havering primary care trust and Englandas at 31 March 2002 Number (Headcount)

Of which: Aged

Total Under 30 30–34 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54

England

All Practitioners⁽⁴¹⁾ 32,011 1,305 3,557 5,497 6,272 5,376 4,633

Of which:

NHS Plan group⁽⁴²⁾ 28,950 341 2,648 4,859 5,894 5,259 4,594

Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)⁽⁴³⁾ 27,956 285 2,441 4,698 5,774 5,140 4,525

UPEs aged 66 and over⁽⁴⁴⁾ 309 — — — — — —

Havering Primary Care Trust

All Practitioners⁽⁴¹⁾ 126 3 7 28 12 21 15

Of which:

NHS Plan group⁽⁴²⁾ 116 0 4 24 12 21 15

Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)⁽⁴³⁾ 114 0 4 22 12 21 15

UPEs aged 66 and over⁽⁴⁴⁾ 5 — — — — — —

Number (Headcount)

Of which: Aged

55–59 60–64 65–69 70+ Unknown Average age

England

All Practitioners⁽⁴¹⁾ 3,379 1,419 506 66 1 44.7

Of which:

NHS Plan group⁽⁴²⁾ 3,365 1,419 506 65 0 45.8

Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)⁽⁴³⁾ 3,281 1,358 454 0 0 45.8

UPEs aged 66 and over⁽⁴⁴⁾ — — — — — —

Havering Primary Care Trust

All Practitioners⁽⁴¹⁾ 23 11 6 0 0 47.6

Of which:

NHS Plan group⁽⁴²⁾ 23 11 6 0 0 48.8

Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)⁽⁴³⁾ 23 11 6 0 0 49.0

UPEs aged 66 and over⁽⁴⁴⁾ — — — — — —

		Of which: Aged
	Total	Under 30	30–34	35–39	40–44	45–49	50–54
England
All Practitioners⁽⁴¹⁾	32,011	1,305	3,557	5,497	6,272	5,376	4,633
Of which:
NHS Plan group⁽⁴²⁾	28,950	341	2,648	4,859	5,894	5,259	4,594
Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)⁽⁴³⁾	27,956	285	2,441	4,698	5,774	5,140	4,525
UPEs aged 66 and over⁽⁴⁴⁾	309	—	—	—	—	—	—

Havering Primary Care Trust
All Practitioners⁽⁴¹⁾	126	3	7	28	12	21	15
Of which:
NHS Plan group⁽⁴²⁾	116	0	4	24	12	21	15
Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)⁽⁴³⁾	114	0	4	22	12	21	15
UPEs aged 66 and over⁽⁴⁴⁾	5	—	—	—	—	—	—

	Of which: Aged
	55–59	60–64	65–69	70+	Unknown	Average age
England
All Practitioners⁽⁴¹⁾	3,379	1,419	506	66	1	44.7
Of which:
NHS Plan group⁽⁴²⁾	3,365	1,419	506	65	0	45.8
Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)⁽⁴³⁾	3,281	1,358	454	0	0	45.8
UPEs aged 66 and over⁽⁴⁴⁾	—	—	—	—	—	—

Havering Primary Care Trust
All Practitioners⁽⁴¹⁾	23	11	6	0	0	47.6
Of which:
NHS Plan group⁽⁴²⁾	23	11	6	0	0	48.8
Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)⁽⁴³⁾	23	11	6	0	0	49.0
UPEs aged 66 and over⁽⁴⁴⁾	—	—	—	—	—	—

⁽⁴¹⁾ All Practitioners include UPEs, Restricted Principals, GP Registrars. Assistants, Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA). PMS Others and GP Retainers.

⁽⁴²⁾ NHS Plan GPs include UPEs. Restricted Principals. Assistants, Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA) and PMS Others.

⁽⁴³⁾ UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.

⁽⁴⁴⁾ UPEs have to retire as a principal by the age of 70. Those that are aged 66 plus in the 2002 census will have to retire (as a principal) by 2006.

Source:

Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GPs have worked in the NHS since 1997, broken down by nation of the UK. [84603]

Mr. Hutton: The number of general practitioners who have worked in the national health service in England in each year since 1997 is set out in the following table. Information for GPs working in Scotland and Wales are the responsibilities of the devolved Administrations. While the institutions in Northern Ireland are dissolved, responsibility rests with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office.

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General medical practitioners in England; 1997 to 2002numbers (headcount)

1 October 30 September 31 March

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

All practitioners⁽⁴⁵⁾ — — 30,959 31,369 31,835 32,011

Of which

Practitioners (excluding GP retainers) 29,389 29,697 29,987 30,252 30,685 30,858

NHS plan group⁽⁴⁶⁾ 28,046 28,251 28,467 28,593 28,802 28,950

Unrestricted principals and equivalents (UPEs)⁽⁴⁷⁾ 27,099 27,392 27,591 27,704 27,843 27,956

GP registrars 1,343 1,446 1,520 1,659 1,883 1,908

	1 October	30 September	31 March
	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
All practitioners⁽⁴⁵⁾	—	—	30,959	31,369	31,835	32,011
Of which
Practitioners (excluding GP retainers)	29,389	29,697	29,987	30,252	30,685	30,858
NHS plan group⁽⁴⁶⁾	28,046	28,251	28,467	28,593	28,802	28,950
Unrestricted principals and equivalents (UPEs)⁽⁴⁷⁾	27,099	27,392	27,591	27,704	27,843	27,956
GP registrars	1,343	1,446	1,520	1,659	1,883	1,908

⁽⁴⁵⁾ All practitioners include unrestricted principals equivalents (UPE), restricted principals, GP registrars, assistants, salaried doctors, persona medical services (PMS) others and GP retainers.

⁽⁴⁶⁾ NHS plan GPs include UPEs, restricted principals, assistants, salaried doctors and PMS others. The base year for NHS plan starts at 1999.

⁽⁴⁷⁾ UPEs include GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs and PMS salaried GPs.

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to encourage more GPs to set up practice in East Lancashire; and if he will make a statement. [82547]

Jacqui Smith: The Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust is working together with the Hyndburn and Ribble Valley and Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) on a number of initiatives, both long and short-term, to help recruit and retain general practitioners in East Lancashire. All three PCTs are actively pursuing initiatives around personal medical services and the local implementation finance initiative, but are also developing individual ways of encouraging more GPs into East Lancashire. Examples include:

Blackburn with Darwen PCT, which is looking at the skill mix in its practices to make optimum use of the relevant professional skills, such as nurse triage;

Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale PCT, where three new GPs have been appointed and are due to start practising in February 2003. The PCT is working closely with its neighbouring PCTs by providing mentoring support to all new GPs; and

Hyndburn and Ribble Valley PCT, which has established a work force and training sub group of the professional executive committee. The work force sub group is leading the work towards the production of a work force development plan.

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the average number of GPs per 1,000 of the population was in (a) rural and (b) urban areas in each year from 1997 to 2002; [84498]

(a)

(b)

Mr. Hutton [holding answers 2 December 2002]: The table shows the number of General Practitioners in Shropshire and England, and rural and urban areas in 2001. Population figures for earlier years are currently being revised by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in light of results from the 2001 national population census. 2001 Census based population estimates for mid-year 2001 were published in October 2002, however it is not possible to provide figures for earlier years on a comparable basis. Revised population estimates for earlier years are expected to be published

9 Dec 2002 : Column 164W

by ONS in February 2003. Information for GPs working in Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of the devolved Administrations, while the institutions in Northern Ireland are dissolved responsibility rests with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office.

Average number of GPs per 1,000 population

All practitioners⁽⁴⁸⁾

Shropshire 0.62

England 0.65

Rural areas 0.69

Urban areas 0.64

	All practitioners⁽⁴⁸⁾
Shropshire	0.62
England	0.65
Rural areas	0.69
Urban areas	0.64

⁽⁴⁸⁾ All Practitioners include Unrestricted Principles and Equivalents, Restricted Principals, GP Registrars, Assistants, Salaried Doctors, Personal Medical Services, Others and GP Retainers.

Source:

Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

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