HC Deb 01 March 1984 vol 55 cc338-9W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many newly-qualified speech therapists were out of work at the latest date for which figures are available.

Mr. John Patten

This information is not available.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many health authorities are currently failing to meet the recommended levels of staffing for speech therapists; and if he will list both the authorities and the extent to which they fall below the recommended levels.

Mr. John Patten

Individual health authorities have been set no specific target. The Department has commended to health authorities the Quirk report (1972) which recommended a desirable level of six per 100,000 population to be achieved within 20 years. In 1972 the proportion was less than one per 100,000 and by 1982 this had risen to four. The pace of improvement has been and will continue to be subject to the availability of resources and the existence of competing claims on them. Following is the breakdown by NHS regions in England:

Speech Therapists as at 30 September 1982
Managed Population in June 1982 (Provisional) (thousands) Whole-time Equivalents *Whole-time Equivalent per 100,000 Managed Population
1.Northern RHA 3,110 96 3.1
2.Yorkshire RHA 3,600 127 3.5
3.Trent RHA 4,600 183 4.0
4.East Anglian RHA 1,920 82 4.3
5.N.W. Thames RHA 3,450 169 4.9

Managed Population in June 1982 (Provisional) (thousands) Whole-time Equivalents *Whole-time Equivalent per 100,000 Managed Population
6.N.E. Thames RHA 3,730 151 4.0
7.S.E. Thames RHA 3,580 171 4.8
8.S.W. Thames RHA 2,950 125 4.2
9.Wessex RHA 2,780 91 3.3
10.Oxford RHA 2,360 101 4.2
11.South Western RHA 3,080 129 4.2
12.West Midlands RHA 5,180 197 3.8
13.Mersey RHA 2,440 82 3.4
14.North Western RHA 4,020 173 4.3
Total England 46,800 ‡†1,875 ‡4.0
* Unrounded figures have been used in the calculation of whole-time equivalents per 100,000 population.
† Owing to rounding, the sum of the regional figures in the second column differs from the total shown.
‡ Excluded from the table are 28 speech therapists who were working in London postgraduate teaching hospitals.