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6 Feb 2008 : Column 1246W—continued


General Practitioners: Colchester

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many general practitioners are practising in Colchester constituency; and how many were practising in May 1997; [180363]

(2) what the (a) average, (b) highest and (c) lowest number of patients registered per general practitioner in (i) Colchester constituency and (ii) Essex was in (A) 1997 and (B) the most recent period for which figures are available. [180364]

Mr. Bradshaw: Information is not available in the format requested.

Table 1 shows the number of general practitioners (GPs) in the North Essex Health Authority area as at 1 October 1997 (of which Colchester was a part) and in North East Essex Primary Care Trust (PCT) as at 30 September 2006 (of which Colchester is now a part). The figures listed do not include retainers and registrars.

Table 2 shows the total number of practices, number of GPs, number of registered patients, average GP list size, average practice list size, largest practice list size and smallest practice list size as at 1 October 1997 and 30 September 2006 for the whole of Essex and the relevant authorities covering the Colchester constituency. The information is split between the former North Essex Health Authority (HA) (of which Colchester was part) and the current North East Essex PCT (of which Colchester is a part).

Due to various mergers and demergers of health authorities and PCTs, the data are not comparable.

Table 1
Number of GPs at 1 October 1997 Number at 30 September 2006

North Essex Health Authority

473

n/a

North East Essex PCT

n/a

181

n/a = data not available
Source:
The Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

Table 2: Selected GP statistics for selected area as at 1997 and 2006
Number (headcount)
1997 2006

Total Essex( 1)

Total practices

284

267

GPs (excluding retainers and registrars)(2)

821

1,014

Registered patients

1,603,543

1,700,408

Average GP list size

1,953

1,677

Average practice list size(3)

5,646

6,369

Largest practice list size(3)

18,728

23,895

Smallest practice list size(3)

308

410

North Essex HA

Total practices

138

n/a

GPs (excluding retainers and registrars)(2)

473

n/a

Registered patients

877,555

n/a

Average GP list size

1,855

n/a

Average practice list size(3)

6,359

n/a

Largest practice list size(3)

17,105

n/a

Smallest practice list size(3)

308

n/a

North East Essex primary care trust

Total practices

n/a

42

GPs (excluding retainers and registrars)(2)

n/a

181

Registered patients

n/a

309,921

Average GP list size

n/a

1,712

Average practice list size(3)

n/a

7,379

Largest practice list size(3)

n/a

15,219

Smallest practice list size(3)

n/a

1,945

n/a = data not available
(1) Data presented for organisations in existence in the specified years covering Essex.
(2) General medical practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars) includes GP Providers and GP Others.
(3) GP Census collects the number of patients who are registered to a practice rather than a specific GP, therefore it is not possible to ascertain individual GP list sizes.
Note:
Data as at 1 October 1997, 30 September 2006.
Source:
The Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

General Practitioners: Finance

Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the level of funding provided to GPs to cover practice running costs changed in each year since 1996. [180605]

Mr. Bradshaw: The total and change in the level of funding provided by Primary Care Organisations and their predecessor bodies (Health Authorities (HAs)) to general practice since 1996 is contained in the following tables.


6 Feb 2008 : Column 1247W

6 Feb 2008 : Column 1248W
Table 1: Former g eneral p ractitioners c ontract— i ndependent c ontractors t otal c ost 1996-97 to 2003-04
£ million
1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04

Total spend

2,873

3,033

3,158

3,432

3,624

3,714

4,060

4,623

Annual increase

—

160

125

274

192

90

346

563

Cumulative increase

—

160

285

559

751

841

1,187

1,750


Table 2: New GMS contract practice based total cost 2004-05 to 2006-07
£ million
2004-05 2005-06 2006-07

Total spend

6,957

7,734

7,757

Annual increase

2,334

777

23

Cumulative increase

4,084

4,861

4,884

Notes:
1. 1996 to 2001-02 data taken from the 95 England health authorities based on GPs’ total reported contract costs. From 2002-03 onwards all data is PCT based.
2. All former GP Contract 1996-97 to 2003-04 Independent Contractor spend includes both combined General Medical Services Discretionary and Non-Discretionary Spend and Personal Medical Services
3. 1996 to 2003-04 former GP contract data taken from the audited summarised NHS accounts of the 95 health authorities and subsequent 303 PCTs for England.
4. The new GP contract was introduced 2004 and is all discretionary only funded through PCTs unified allocations.
5. All spend (2004 to 2006-07) is now based on combined practice contracting routes of GMS, PMS APMS and PCTMS services
6. 2004-05 to 2006-07 Figures are based on the audited returns of the 303 to 152 reconfigured PCT audited returns to the NHS summarised accounts.

General Practitioners: Pay

Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether GP practice support staff are paid in accordance with national pay scales; and what guidance his Department issues to GPs on remuneration for practice support staff. [180606]

Mr. Bradshaw: General practitioners (GPs), as independent practitioners contracted to the national health service are able to determine the terms and conditions for the staff they employ. However, the expectation is that GP practices will ensure their employment standards comply with good human resources practice in line with Agenda for Change national pay scales/principles. Guidance on Agenda for Change for practice staff can be found on the DH website at:

Health Checks: Adults

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of adults who will have preventative health check-ups in their GP's surgery in each of the next three years. [180341]

Mr. Bradshaw: Information on the number of adults who receive preventative check-ups in general practitioner (GP) surgeries is not collected centrally.

The Prime Minister announced on 7 January that proposals were under development for a vascular risk programme. This will include to estimate the amount of preventative work currently carried out by GP surgeries and the impact of the introduction of a vascular screening programme.

Health Services: Devon

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) hospital doctors, (b) nurses, (c) GPs, (d) GP practice nurses, (e) nurse practitioners, (f) modern matrons, (g) community matrons and (h) NHS managers were employed by the NHS in North Devon in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [183086]

Ann Keen: The information requested is held at national health service trust level only.

The following table shows the data held for Devon Primary Care Trust (PCT) and North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust which serve the North Devon area. 1997 data are only available for North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust. Latest available data are for 2006. Data are not available for Devon PCT prior to 2001 because this area was covered by North and East Devon Health Authority (HA) and South and West Devon HA. These figures are not comparable to the 2001 onwards structures.

Over 1.33 million people were employed in the NHS in England as at September 2006. Between September 1997 and 2006 the total number of NHS staff increased by over 280,000 (27 per cent.); the number of doctors and hospital dentists employed in the NHS in England increased by 35,993 (40per cent.) to 125,612; the number of nurses employed in the NHS in England increased by 79,479 (25 per cent.) to 398,335; and the total number of qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff employed in the NHS in England increased by 38,200 (40 per cent.) to 134,498.

We are now moving away from year-on-year growth in the NHS work force to more of a steady state where there is a closer match between demand and supply. The focus now is strengthening frontline capacity through increases in productivity and skill mix. In some cases, productivity gains may mean that fewer staff are needed to deliver the same service outcomes.


6 Feb 2008 : Column 1249W

6 Feb 2008 : Column 1250W
All qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff, medical and dental staff( 1) , GPs (excluding retainers and registrars)( 2) , GP practice nurses and NHS managers in specified organisations, 1997 to 2006
Number (headcount)
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Devon Primary Care Trust

All Doctors

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

490

510

538

571

590

639

O f which:

Medical and Dental staff(1)

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

27

39

42

41

38

37

GPs (excluding retainers and registrars)(2)

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

463

471

496

530

552

602

Qualified Nursing, Midwifery and Health visiting staff

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

1,045

1,353

1,355

1,431

1,482

1,542

O f which:

Modern Matrons

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

6

3

Community Matrons

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

0

GP Practice Nurses

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

369

386

353

360

380

393

Managers and senior managers

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

64

115

145

171

197

198

North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust

Medical and Dental staff(1)

118

133

132

132

170

132

139

163

182

187

Qualified Nursing, Midwifery and Health visiting staff

760

832

785

792

468

511

583

603

571

560

O f which:

Modern Matrons

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

0

0

Community Matrons

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

0

Managers and senior managers

24

20

22

24

22

24

25

32

35

42

n/a= Not applicable
(1) Excludes medical Hospital Practitioners and medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals
(2) General Medical Practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars) includes GP Providers and GP Others
Note :
1. On 1 October 2006 East Devon PCT, Exeter PCT, Mid Devon PCT, North Devon PCT, South Hams and West Devon PCT and Teignbridge PCT merged to form Devon PCT. Figures from 2001 to 2005 are an aggregate of these six predecessor organisations. Prior to 2001 this area was covered by North and East Devon HA and South and West Devon HA. These figures are not comparable to the 2001 onwards structures.
2. The number of Modern Matrons were not separately identifiable from the census data prior to 2005, and community matrons prior to 2006.
3. In 2001 there was a large drop in community nursing staff in North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, and a corresponding increase in the Devon PCT predecessor organisations.
It is reasonable to assume that community services nurses migrated from North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust to these organisations.
4. More accurate validation processes in 2006 have resulted in the identification and removal of 9,858 duplicate non-medical staff records out of the total work force figure of 1.3 million in 2006. Earlier years’ figures could not be accurately validated in this way and so will be slightly inflated. The level of inflation in earlier years’ figures is estimated to be less than 1 per cent. of total across all non-medical staff groups for headcount figures (and negligible for full-time equivalents). This should be taken into consideration when analysing trends over time.
Sources:
1. The Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census
2. The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census
3. The Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics
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