§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many physiotherapists are at present employed in the National Health Service and the whole-time equivalent this number represents; how many students are at present in training; and what is his estimate of the number who will leave employment in the next 12 months and the number of appointments now needed fully to man the service;
(2) how many physiotherapists in the grade of Superintendent I are now employed in the National Health Service; and what is their average age, the average number of years they have been in employment since qualification and their 257W present minimum and maximum pay per week;
(3) what is the present minimum pre-entry educational qualification for physiotherapists; at what age one is accepted into the training course; how long the course lasts; and what is the weekly take-home pay of a newly qualified physiotherapist aged not less than 21 years.
§ Mr. AlisonThe most recent staffing returns available centrally show that at 30th September 1972 the number of physiotherapists employed by hospital authorities in England and Wales totalled 4,689, in terms of whole-time equivalents, including 3,402 working whole time. The returns do not detail actual numbers of staff working part time, nor the numbers in individual grades. However, a survey made in 1969 showed that there were then 173, whole-time equivalents, in the Superintendent I grade; the average age was about 45 and the average number of years' experience about 17. Students undergoing training at present will mainly comprise those enrolling at schools in England and Wales in the years 1970 to 1972 for which I understand enrolments total 2,264. It is not possible to make any meaningful estimate centrally of numbers of physiotherapists leaving the service in the next 12 months, nor, in the absence of any generally accepted standard of provision, is it possible to estimate the overall needs of the service.
The starting salary of a newly qualified physiotherapist is £1,110, irrespective of age. Take-home pay varies with individual circumstances. The minimum and maximum of the Superintendent I scale are £1,383 and £1,755 respectively. These are the salaries operative from 1st April 1972. I understand that the Whitley Council has reached agreement on revised salaries to operate from 1st April 1973 which will be promulgated when Pay Board approval has been obtained.
For entry to training physiotherapy students are required to have, as a minimum, five passes in specified subjects at Ordinary level in the General Certificate of Education and to have attained the age of 18.