HC Deb 08 July 1977 vol 934 cc680-1W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many prescriptions were dispensed by chemist contractors under the National Health Service in the Macclesfield constituency in each of the last four years; and what was the total value of these prescriptions.

Mr. Moyle

Information in the form requested is not readily available. The number and value of National Health Service prescriptions dispensed by chemist contractors in the former Cheshire Executive Council Area and, from April 1974, in the Cheshire Family Practitioner Committee Area, which include the Macclesfield constituency, were as follows:

Mr. Ennals

Doctors specialising in rheumatology are expected to have wide training and experience which includes the medical and surgical needs of their patients. When necessary, patients with rheumatic disorders are treated by a professional team which will include doctors with special knowledge of rheumatology, orthopaedic surgery, general medicine and surgery. I am satisfied that an overlap of training and experience between disciplines is achieved by the present training arrangements for doctors and others working in the National Health Service.

Mr. Peter Walker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of his priority to improve the services used by physically handicapped people what is being done to augment the number of beds specifically designated for elective and rheumatological surgery.

Mr. Ennals

Financial constraints preclude substantial increases in the numbers of beds which can be made available at this time for elective surgery of which rheumatological surgery is a part; but the more efficient use of existing beds and greater flexibility in their use can increase the numbers of patients treated, and these my Department encourage. Statistics are not available relating to elective and rheumatological surgery separately, but the number of deaths and discharges in traumatic and orthopaedic surgery as a whole rose from 290,056 in 1963 to 399,154 in 1975.

Mr. Peter Walker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what measures are being taken to ensure closer integration between medical and surgical services for patients suffering from rheumatic disorders.

Mr. Ennals

I understand that, increasingly, patients who suffer from these disorders are treated by clinicians, nurses, remedial therapists and the social services working as a team. These are essentially matters for the professional bodies to consider and establish good practice.