§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many occupational therapists are employed by each local authority social services department in England ; how many such employees work principally in day centres for the physically or mentally handicapped ; how many are attached to social work teams for the purpose of domiciliary visits ; what steps he is taking to encourage and enable local authorities to increase their establishments for occupational therapists ; and if he will make a statement.
1967 1968 1969 Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Total number of written complaints 450 100 416 100 488 100 Investigated by : Officers only 434 96 397 95 478 98 Members 14 3 18 4 10 2 Independent Inquiry 2 * 1 * — — 244W
1970 1971 1972 Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Total number of written complaints 554 100 598 100 752 100 Investigated by : Officers only 547 99 580 97 746 99 Members 7 1 17 3 6 * Independent Inquiry — — 1 * — — *Less than one per cent.
§ Sir K. JosephThe latest figures available to my Department are for 30th September 1972. It is known that there has been a considerable increase in the number of occupational therapists employed by local authority social services departments since then, and the 1972 figures are, therefore, of Utile value. My Department hopes to discuss shortly with local authority associations the question of employment of occupational therapists.