§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what shortage of general medical practitioners exists in the Medway towns;
(2) what is deemed to be the desirable number of National Health Service patients to every general practitioner; and what is the present average in Gillingham, Kent.
§ Mr. CrossmanThere is no fixed complement of general medical practitioners in this or any other area against which a shortage could be assessed; and the optimum number of patients per doctor will vary from one doctor to another, being influenced by such factors as practice organisation and the nature of the district. The area of the Medway towns is, however, designated as under-doctored by the Medical Practices Committee, although during 1968 there was some reduction in the average number of patients on doctors' lists. At 1st January, 1969, the doctors providing full general medical services from main surgeries in Gillingham Borough had an average of 2,774 patients on their lists.