§ Mr. Home Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for single payments are currently being processed at the Edinburgh East office of his Department; how many of those claimants have been waiting for more than 18 days; what advice is being given to claimants about the likely waiting time; what steps are being taken to clear the backlog; and how this situation at Edinburgh East compares with rest of Scotland and the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. MajorSingle payment claims from 2,590 claimants are currently being processed at the Edinburgh East office; and about 1,900 of these have been waiting for more than 18 days for a decision. Comparable figures for the rest of Scotland and the United Kingdom are not available.
There has been an upsurge in single payment claims resulting from a take-up campaign mounted by Lothian council. Urgent claims being given priority and claimants are being advised individually that there are likely to be longer than usual delays in processing single payments claims. Extra staff are being deployed on this work by diverting them from other duties within the office and extra help is being provided by the regional office.
Directly employed* medical and dental staff in hospitals and community health service in four Thames regions† at 30 September each year 1982 1983 1984 1985 Number Whole time equivalent Number Whole time equivalent Number Whole time equivalent Number Whole time equivalent North West Thames 3,782 3,144 3,842 3,177 3,807 3,158 3,885 3,234 North East Thames 4,673 3,919 4,693 3,931 4,689 3,956 4,819 4,041 South East Thames 3,865 3,197 4,024 3,362 3,995 3,357 3,905 3,300 South West Thames 2,943 2,336 2,941 2,341 2,907 2.305 2,989 2,384 Source: Department of Health and Social Services annual census of medical manpower (SR7).
* Figures include Locums but exclude Hospital Practitioners and part-time medical and dental officers (clinical assistants).
† Excludes figures for the Special Health Authorities for the London Post Graduate Teaching Hospitals.
Numbers and Whole-time Equivalents‡ September 1982 September 1983 September 1984 Provisional September 1985 Nursing and Midwifery* Ancillary staff Nursing and Midwifery* Ancillary staff Nursing and Midwifery* Ancillary staff Nursing and Midwifery* Ancillary staff Greater London Total 81,020 71,000 38,690 32,550 80,240 70,660 37,410 31,460 81,230 70,000 33,330 27,980 81,200 68,330 29,390 24,630 Barnet DHA 3,840 3,220 1,620 1,340 3,400 2,940 1,570 1,290 3,390 2,900 1,390 1,140 3,460 2,930 1,380 1,080 Harrow DHA 1,720 1,430 790 670 1,590 1,350 780 660 1,630 1,350 710 600 1,830 1,390 590 470 Hillingdon DHA 2,580 2,120 1,030 830 2,460 2,090 1,010 800 2,600 2,050 940 740 2,670 2,020 900 720 Hounslow and Spelthorne DHA 2,690 2,210 1,280 970 2,790 2,210 1,200 910 2,870 2,150 1,080 820 2,520 1,950 610 510 Ealing DHA 1,990 1,770 850 750 2,040 1,810 780 670 2,090 1,900 700 590 2,040 1,850 560 470 Brent DHA 2,320 2,120 1,030 870 2,190 2,010 990 840 2,350 2,100 940 810 2,280 2,040 880 750 Barking, Havering and Brentwood DHA 3,860 3,290 1,710 1,320 3,830 3,290 1,640 1,260 3,920 3,320 1,510 1,160 3,930 3,340 1,440 1,080 Enfield DHA 1,690 1,430 780 620 1,860 1,480 750 610 2,110 1,490 670 540 1,920 1,530 630 510 Haringey DHA 1,570 1,380 800 650 1,690 1,430 750 620 1,880 1,420 640 520 1,490 1,310 560 450 Redbridge DHA 1,870 1,550 760 590 1,840 1,630 770 580 2,170 1,660 700 530 3,140 1,620 640 480 Waltham Forest DHA 3,120 2,780 1,570 1,300 3,180 2,740 1,470 1,220 3,120 2,650 1,280 1,060 3,190 2,550 1,140 930 Bexley DHA 1,970 1,660 900 700 1,930 1,690 880 680 1,870 1,600 800 600 1,800 1,580 780 570 Greenwich DHA 2,740 2,310 1,730 1,310 2,660 2,240 1,580 1,220 2,500 2,110 1,320 1,020 2,630 2,180 1,290 1,000 Bromley DHA 3,190 2,380 1,230 1,000 3,000 2,400 1,170 950 2,890 2,300 1,020 840 2,810 2,200 580 480