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11 Dec 2002 : Column 390W—continued

Doctors

Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for increasing the number of doctors employed by the national health service; and if he will make a statement. [84658]

Mr. Hutton: The NHS Plan makes a commitment to substantially increase the national health service work force by March 2004. The numbers of consultants are expected to increase by 7,500, specialist registrar numbers by 1,000, general practitioner (GP) numbers by 2,000 and GP registrar numbers by 550 over a 1999 baseline.

The latest forecasts for growth, set out in XDelivering the NHS Plan", expect the NHS to have net increases by 2008, over a 2001 baseline, of at least 15,000 doctors, both consultants and GPs.

Between September 1997 and September 2001, the number of total NHS doctors increased by 11 per cent. and specialist registrar (SpR) numbers specifically also increased by 11 per cent. Between September 1997 and March 2002, the number of consultants and GPs increased by 23 per cent. and 3 per cent. respectively and GP registrar numbers by 42 per cent.

In respect of consultants, we are not solely relying on the output from training to deliver a sufficient supply of applicants for consultant posts. We are implementing a range of measures to:


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With regard to SpR numbers, we have adopted a new approach to maximising the numbers of SpRs trained within existing resources. The current training system has been freed up by taking a service-led approach, which will meet educational needs. We expect this to result in substantial increases in SpR numbers beyond the 1,000 assumed in the NHS Plan.

We have also introduced a GP vocational training scheme for senior house officers in 2002, which has resulted in 84 appointments.

To meet the GP targets, the Department has implemented a number of recruitment and retention initiatives, which include:


Drug Addiction (Fareham)

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many drug rehabilitation places are available to registered drug addicts in Fareham; and how many registered drug addicts in Fareham are receiving (a) rehabilitation and (b) other forms of drug treatment. [85712]

Ms Blears [holding answer 9 December 2002]: Drug misuers have access to a community drug team in Fareham. Most community drug services can refer patients to rehabilitation services throughout the country: not just those in the local area. There are 138

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residential treatment services in England. There are around 3,100 bedspaces within the drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation sector.

The information available for drug users presenting to drug treatment agencies and general practitioners in health authorities in Hampshire in the six-month periods from October 2000 to March 2001 is shown in the table.

Number of users who presented for treatment for drug misuse in health authorities in Hampshire and England April 1997 to March 2001

October 2000– March 2001
England33,234
North and mid Hants89
Portsmouth and south-east Hants281
Southampton and south-west Hants220
Total for all three HAs590

Source:

Department of Health series of Statistical Bulletins, XStatistics from the Regional Drug Misuse Databases".


Drug Addicts

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered drug addicts there were in (a) Fareham, (b) Hampshire and (c) England in each year from 1997. [85710]

Ms Blears [holding answer 9 December 2002]: Information is not available in the form requested. The information available for drug users presenting to drug treatment agencies and general practitioners in health authorities in Hampshire and England in the six months periods from April 1997 to March 2001 is shown in Table 1. Information on the numbers in treatment is only available for 2000–01 and is shown in Table 2.

Table 1: Number of users who presented for treatment for drug misuse in health authorities (HAs)in Hampshire and England April 1997 to March 2001

EnglandNorth and mid HampshirePortsmouth and south-east HantsSouthampton and south-west HampshireTotals for these three HAs
April–September 199721,99661138255454
October 1997–March 199823,91650161257468
April–September 199828,59948163296507
October 1998–March 199928,49960196118374
April–September 199930,54555307145507
October 1999–March 200031,81521231153405
April–September 200033,093154259266679
October 2000–March 200133,23489281220590

Source:

The Department of Health series of statistical bulletins XStatistics from the Regional Drug Misuse Databases"


Table 2: Number of drug misusers in treatment in 2000–01

Area of treatmentNumber
England118,500
North and mid Hampshire3291,863
Portsmouth and south-east Hants8361,863
Southampton and south-west Hampshire6981,863

Source:

Statistics from the Regional Drug Misuse Databases on drug misusers in treatment in England, 2000–01


Drug/Alcohol Treatment Centres

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residential drug and alcohol treatment centres are operated by the NHS; and how many are proposed to be closed. [86031]

Ms Blears: There are over 700 drug and alcohol treatment services in England. Of these, 138 are residential treatment services. The majority of

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residential services are provided through the voluntary sector. Their primary role is to provide non-medical social care services. For this reason they are funded through social services community care.

Since 1997 the number of overall treatment services has increased by a third. We have no information to suggest that any treatment services are being prepared for closure.

Ebixa

Mr. Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the availability to NHS patients of the drug Ebixa for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease; when the National Institute of Clinical Excellence will issue guidance on the use of Ebixa for the NHS in England and Wales; and what interim measures have been put in place to ensure that the drug Ebixa will be available to NHS patients pending the outcome of the NICE appraisal; [85467]

Jacqui Smith: The drug memantine (Ebixa) was launched in this country for the treatment of people with severe dementia in October 2002. In line with Circular HSC1999/176, national health service bodies should use existing arrangements to access the publicly available evidence about memantine (Ebixa) and to determine local policies for the use of this drug. No estimates have been made about the likely future cost of this drug for people with severe dementia. No decision has been made as to whether to ask the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to carry out an appraisal of memantine for the treatment of people with dementia.

General Practitioners (Age)

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of applications for partners in GP

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practices was in (a) England, (b) York and (c) North Yorkshire on (i) 1 May 1997 and (ii) 1 September 2002. [85804]

Mr. Hutton: We do not have specific detail of the level of applications for partners in general practitioner (GP) practices in the areas and at the times requested. However the Medical Practices Committee survey of GP recruitment in England and Wales 1997 estimated that there was an average of 8.4 applicants per general medical service partner vacancy in 1997.

The latest Department report—Xthe General Practitioner Recruitment, Retention and Vacancy Survey 2002 for England and Wales", estimated that there was an average of 4.4 applicants per unrestricted principal or equivalent GP vacancy in the 12 months period ending 28 February 2002.

We do not have estimates for the number of applicants on any regional basis.


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