§ 26. Mr. GaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of support staff employed by general practitioners in Kent at present; and what the number was in 1979.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe total number of staff qualifying for direct reimbursement under the ancillary staff scheme in Kent increased by 78 per cent. from 1,109 (660 whole-time equivalents) in 1979 to 1,975 (1,116 whole-time equivalents) in 1988. A few general practitioners employ support staff outside the scope of the present scheme; information about these staff is not collected centrally.