§ Mr. Nicholas BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average length of time for each GP consultation; and what this was for each of the last 10 years. [15369]
§ Mr. MaloneThe information requested has not been routinely collected every year. The information is available for 1985–86, 1989–90 and 1992–93 from surveys of general practitioners work load and is as follows:
Average time spent per consultation by GMPs by type of activity Time (minutes) Activity 1985–86 1989–90 1992–93 Surgery1 8.2 8.8 8.8 Home visits (including travel time) 24.4 25.5 25.2 Home visits (time in home) 13.1 13.5 13.2 Clinics 11.0 12.0 12.6 Notes
1. To aid comparison, the 1992–93 figure for "surgery" 1includes the time spent on "telephone consultations"; these were included within "surgery" in the 1985–86 and 1989–90 Surveys.
Sources:
General Medical Practitioners' Workload 1985–86 [ISBN 1 85197 068 1].
General Medical Practitioner's Workload Survey 1989–90 [ISBN 1 85197 561 6].
General Medical Practitioners' Workload Survey 1992–93 Joint evidence to the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body from the Health Departments and the GMSC, November 1994.
Copies of these documents are available in the Library.
675W
§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of general practitioners and the number of secretaries, administrators, receptionists and practice managers in general practice in each of the last six years(a) in total, (b) by family health service authority and (c) broken down between fundholding and non-fundholding practices. [16166]
§ Mr. MaloneThe information requested will be placed in the Library. The data collected do not distinguish between fundholding and non-fundholding general practitioners.
§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by region(a) the amount and (b) the proportion of each trust's income derived from general practitioner fundholders' contracts. [15830]
§ Mr. MaloneThis information is not available.
§ Mr. David AtkinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will list those services which fundholding general practitioners can currently purchase; to which services she proposes to extend this list; and what plans she has to reduce the number of patients needed for a GP to become a fundholder. [16667]
§ Mr. MaloneThe approved list of goods and services details those goods and services which a fundholding general practitioner may purchase. Both the current list and the revised list, which will be effective from 1 April 1996, are available in the Library. As announced in EL (94)79, it is proposed that from 1 April 1996 general practitioners with a list size of 5,000 or more
1985–89 1990–94 Retirements due to age Early retirements due to ill-health Retirements due to age Early retirements due to ill-health Early retirement scheme General Medical Practitioners 3,950 554 3,458 746 — General Dental Practitioners 1,165 366 1,085 381 526 Note:
The Early Retirement Scheme was restricted to general dental practitioners and came into effect from April 1991. The aim is to improve efficiency by allowing older dentists to retire early in favour of younger dentists.
Figures in respect of consultants from 1988 Consultants Retirements due to age Early retirements due to ill-health Early retirement programme to allow for replacement of senior posts Other early retirements 1988–89 383 38 29 58 1989–90 359 39 75 52 1990–91 376 46 45 77 1991–92 368 56 38 92 1992–93 369 56 35 111 1993–94 380 45 66 157 1994–95 418 47 59 159 Note:
The Early Retirement programme is open to all consultants aged 50 or over. Consultants include Senior Hospital Medical and Dental Officers who worked full or part-time.