§ Ms PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many out-of-hours visits that command a night visit fee for general practitioners took place in each of the last 10 years.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThis information is shown in the table.
170W
Financial year Number of visits 1983–84 682,000 1984–85 715,000 1985–86 798,000
Financial year Number of visits 1986–87 763,000 1987–88 825,000 1988–89 902,000 1989–90 936,000 1990–91 1,543,000 1991–92 1,712,000 1992–93 1,643,000 Notes:
1. In 1990–91, the period for which night visit fees are payable was extended from 11 pm-lam to 10pm-8am.
2. The number of general practitioners increased over this period from 23,640 in 1983 to 25,968 in 1992 (the last year for which figures are available).
3. The figure for 1992–93 is provisional, unaudited.
§ Ms PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the night visit fee for general practitioners in real terms in each of the last 10 years.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThis information is shown in the table.
Night visit fee in real terms (in f at 1993/94 prices) Year beginning 1 April 46.65 (higher); 15.55 (lower) 1993 46.24 (higher); 15.41 (lower) 1992 47.86 (higher); 15.95 (lower) 1991 49.17 (higher); 16.39 (lower) 11990 24.81 1989 24.48 1988 24.09 1987 23.79 1986 23.72 1985 23.65 1984 1 On 1 April 1990, the "new" general practitioner contract restructured the arrangements for the payment of night visit fees. A two-tier fee system was introduced under which GPs undertaking their own visits or providing cover within a rota of 10 GPs or less qualified for the higher fee, other visits qualified for the lower fee. Figures before 1990 are not, therefore, directly comparable with figures after 1990