§ 42. Mr. Concannonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the percentage shortage of physiotherapists in the hospitals covered by the Mansfield Hospital Management Committee; and how this compares with the position nationally.
§ Mr. AlisonThe committee employs the equivalent of 16½full-time physiotherapists and would like to employ about 14 more. The total number employed in hospitals in England has now reached 4,424; more are required but in the absence of general agreement on staffing standards it is not possible to quantify the need in percentage terms.
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§ 45. Mrs. Knightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to overcome the shortage of physiotherapists in the Birmingham area.
§ Mr. AlisonAssessment of need and recruitment in a particular locality is a matter for the health authorities concerned. As my right hon. Friend told the hon. Member for Rhondda, West (Mr. Alec Jones) on 9th May, numbers of physiotherapists in the National Health Service continue to increase, but besides increasing numbers we are interested in making the best possible use of the therapists we have, and my right hon. Friend hopes to discuss this at a conference with the remedial professions which has now been rearranged for 18th July.—[Vol. 836, c.310–1.]