General Practitioners (Hansard, 4 February 2004)

§ Sarah Teather
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many general practitioner vacancies there were in(a) Brent Primary Care Trust, (b) London and (c) England in each year since 1997; [150812]
(2) how many general practitioner vacancies there were on average in each London primary care trust in each year since 1997. [150813]

§ Mr. Hutton
The Department's annual general practitioner (GP) recruitment and retention and vacancy (RRV) survey started in 2000.
The number of GP vacancies in England and in each London strategic health authority since 2000 is shown in Table 1. The number of GP vacancies in each London primary care trust (PCT) including Brent PCT, for 2003, is shown in Table 2. This is the first year vacancy data has been collected at PCT level.
The RRV survey is a count of all GP vacancies that have occurred during each year. It will include existing posts that doctors have left and also new posts created to increase the workforce, even where they were filled very quickly. Thus, the increase in vacancies in part, is a result of there being more posts overall, reflecting the Government's plan to increase the GP workforce.
962W

Table 1: England GP vacancy numbers by London SHA, 2000 to 2003

2000 2001 2002 2003

England total ¹1,143 ²2,345 ³2,487 ⁴3,245

of which:

North Central London SHA 22 78 80 53

North East London SHA 18 55 17 104

South East London SHA 38 101 81 179

South West London SHA 16 ²42 ³29 ⁴45

North West London SHA 49 60 93 78

¹ In 2000 four HAs did not respond to the survey. These made up parts of: Thames Valley SHA, County Durham & Tees Valley SHA, North & East Yorkshire & N Lincolnshire SHA and Trent SHA.

² In 2001 two HAs did not respond to the survey. These made up parts of: Surrey & Sussex SHA and South West London SHA. ³ In 2002 four HAs did not respond to the survey. These made up parts of:Surrey & Sussex SHA, South West London SHA, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire & Rutland SHA and Hampshire & Isle of Wight SHA.

⁴ In 2003 one PCT in South West London SHA did not respond to the survey.

Note:
Years prior to 2003 have been mapped to current SHA areas 2003 numbers were collected directly from PCTs. Previous years vacancy numbers were collect from Health Authorities.
Source:
Department of Health GP Recruitment, Retention and Vacancy surveys, 2000–03.

Table 2: GP vacancy numbers by London PCT, 2003 ISHA Total

England Total 3,245

of which:

London All 459

of which:

North Central London All 53

of which:

Barnet PCT 27

Camden PCT 8

Enfield PCT 4

Haringey PCT 9

Islington PCT 5

North East London All 104

of which:

Barking and Dagenham PCT 7

Chingford, Wanstead and Woodford PCT 12

City and Hackney PCT 22

Havering PCT 10

Newham PCT 15

Redbridge PCT 13

Tower Hamlets PCT 13

Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone PCT 12

North West London All 78

of which:

Brent PCT 16

Ealing PCT 1

Hammersmith & Fulham PCT 5

Harrow PCT 28

Hillingdon PCT 9

Hounslow PCT 3

Kensington and Chelsea PCT 9

Westminster PCT 7

South East London All 179

of which:

Bexley PCT 24

Bromley PCT 37

Greenwich PCT 32

Lambeth PCT 32

Lewisham PCT 21

Southwark PCT 33

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Table 2: GP vacancy numbers by London PCT, 2003

ISHA Total

South West London All ¹45

of which:

Croydon PCT 24

Kingston PCT 3

Richmond and Twickenham PCT 4

Wandsworth PCT 14

¹ One PCT (Sutton & Merton PCT, South West London SHA) did not respond to the survey.

Note:
No figures for PCTs are available before 2003 as previous years vacancy numbers were collected from health authorities.
Source:
Department of Health GP Recruitment, Retention and Vacancy survey 2003.

§ Mr. Rosindell
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average amount of funding provided to a general practitioner surgery is in(a) England and (b) the London Borough of Havering. [150371]

§ Mr. Hutton
The Department does not collect information at a London borough level, but rather at primary care trust (PCT) level. The answer therefore compares the national position with Havering PCT. The average funding per general practitioner practice in England in 2002–03 was £464,000. The average funding per GP practice in Havering PCT was £347,000. However, the number of practitioners per practice in Havering PCT as at March 2003 was lower (at 2.58) than the national average (at 3.76). Consequently, when practitioner numbers are used, the average cost per practitioner in England was £124,000, while the equivalent figure in Havering PCT was £134,000.

§ Mr. Hancock
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to recruit general practitioners; what the current national ratio of patients to general practitioners is; what the ratio is in the Portsmouth area; and how many general practitioner vacancies there are in(a) Portsmouth and (b) South East Hampshire. [151993]

§ Mr. Hutton
The Government are committed to recruiting and retaining more general practitioners (GPs). A range of measures have been implemented including financial incentives, extended options for flexible working and improved family friendly policies.
The ratio of patients to unrestricted principals and equivalent (UPE) general practitioners (GPs) in England and in Portsmouth Primary Care Trust is shown in table 1.
The number of GP vacancies recorded in the GP recruitment and retention vacancy survey between 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2003 in Portsmouth PCT and East Hampshire PCT and Fareham and Gosport PCT is shown in table 2.
This is a count of all GP vacancies that have occurred during each year. It will include existing posts that doctors have left and also new posts created to increase the work force, even where they were filled very quickly. Thus, the number of vacancies in part is a result of there being more posts overall, reflecting the Governments plan to increase the GP work force.
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The Department of Health collects figures by PCT only, not by constituency.

Table 1: Patients of unrestricted principals and equivalents (UPEs) ¹ for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority—England, as at 30 September 2002

Number (headcount)

England Portsmouth City PCT

All practitioners² 32,292 105

of which:

UPEs 28,031 101

Patients of UPEs 51,522,391 181,805

Ratio UPEs to patients 1:1,838 1:1,800

¹ UPEs include GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs and PMS salaried GPs.

² All practitioners include GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs, PMS salaried GPs, restricted principals, assistants, GP registrars, salaried doctors (para. 52 SPA), PMS other and GP retainers.

Source:
Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.

Table 2: Reported GP vacancies in England and Hampshire and Isle of Wight SHA and PCTs, 2003

Headcount (number)

England total ¹3,245

East Hampshire PCT 18

Fareham and Gosport PCT 10

Portsmouth City PCT 10

¹ One PCT (Sutton and Merton PCT, South West London SHA) did not respond to the survey.

Note:
No figures for PCTs are available before 2003 as previous years vacancy numbers were collected from health authorities.
Source:
Department of Health GP Recruitment, Retention and Vacancy survey 2003.

Table 1: England GP vacancy numbers by London SHA, 2000 to 2003
	2000	2001	2002	2003
England total	¹1,143	²2,345	³2,487	⁴3,245
of which:
North Central London SHA	22	78	80	53
North East London SHA	18	55	17	104
South East London SHA	38	101	81	179
South West London SHA	16	²42	³29	⁴45
North West London SHA	49	60	93	78
¹ In 2000 four HAs did not respond to the survey. These made up parts of: Thames Valley SHA, County Durham & Tees Valley SHA, North & East Yorkshire & N Lincolnshire SHA and Trent SHA.
² In 2001 two HAs did not respond to the survey. These made up parts of: Surrey & Sussex SHA and South West London SHA.	³ In 2002 four HAs did not respond to the survey. These made up parts of:Surrey & Sussex SHA, South West London SHA, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire & Rutland SHA and Hampshire & Isle of Wight SHA.
⁴ In 2003 one PCT in South West London SHA did not respond to the survey.

Table 2: GP vacancy numbers by London PCT, 2003	ISHA	Total
England Total	3,245
of which:
London All	459
of which:
North Central London All	53
of which:
Barnet PCT	27
Camden PCT	8
Enfield PCT	4
Haringey PCT	9
Islington PCT	5
North East London All	104
of which:
Barking and Dagenham PCT	7
Chingford, Wanstead and Woodford PCT	12
City and Hackney PCT	22
Havering PCT	10
Newham PCT	15
Redbridge PCT	13
Tower Hamlets PCT	13
Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone PCT	12
North West London All	78
of which:
Brent PCT	16
Ealing PCT	1
Hammersmith & Fulham PCT	5
Harrow PCT	28
Hillingdon PCT	9
Hounslow PCT	3
Kensington and Chelsea PCT	9
Westminster PCT	7
South East London All	179
of which:
Bexley PCT	24
Bromley PCT	37
Greenwich PCT	32
Lambeth PCT	32
Lewisham PCT	21
Southwark PCT	33

Table 1: Patients of unrestricted principals and equivalents (UPEs) ¹ for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority—England, as at 30 September 2002
Number (headcount)
	England	Portsmouth City PCT
All practitioners²	32,292	105
of which:
UPEs	28,031	101
Patients of UPEs	51,522,391	181,805
Ratio UPEs to patients	1:1,838	1:1,800
¹ UPEs include GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs and PMS salaried GPs.
² All practitioners include GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs, PMS salaried GPs, restricted principals, assistants, GP registrars, salaried doctors (para. 52 SPA), PMS other and GP retainers.

Table 2: Reported GP vacancies in England and Hampshire and Isle of Wight SHA and PCTs, 2003
	Headcount (number)
England total	¹3,245
East Hampshire PCT	18
Fareham and Gosport PCT	10
Portsmouth City PCT	10
¹ One PCT (Sutton and Merton PCT, South West London SHA) did not respond to the survey.