§ Mr. Onslowasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many doctors have been refused employment in hospitals in England and Wales because of an inadequate command of the English language in each of the past five years; and how many hospital doctors have been invited to resign their appointments for the same reason in the same period.
§ Dr. OwenDuring the past five years the number of doctors seeking employment for the first time in National Health Service hospitals in England and Wales who have failed to obtain a certificate of satisfactory completion of clinical attachment on grounds which include an inadequate command of English have been:
The information requested in the second part of the Question is not generally available but during 1973 the General Medical Council refused to renew temporary registration for 19 doctors on grounds which included an inadequate command of English.
1970 16 1971 31 1972 44 1973 55 1974 (part year) 29
§ Mr. Onslowasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her latest estimate of the number of doctors working full-time in hospitals in England and Wales who first qualified at medical schools overseas; what proportion of the total number of hospital doctors this represents; and how these figures compare with those for 1964.
§ Dr. OwenInformation in the form requested is not available.
On 30th September 1973, 9,736–34.6 per cent.—of doctors working full or part-time in NHS hospitals in England and Wales were born outside the United Kingdom and Irish Republic. This compares with 6,124–29.1 per cent.—for 1965.
§ Mr. Peter Morrisonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many United Kingdom graduate doctors leave the National Health Service per annum.
§ Dr. OwenInformation specifically in the form requested is not available.54W England and Wales counts at 30th September 1971 and 1972 show that 3,130 doctors whose first registrable qualification was British were in the NHS in 1971 but not in 1972; for 1972–73 the comparable figure is 3,310. However, these figures include doctors who are moving between posts as well as those lost to the service through death, retirement, emigration and transfer to non-NHS posts.
§ Mr. Peter Morrisonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the emigration rate for United Kingdom graduate doctors per annum.
§ Dr. OwenIt is estimated that the number of doctors who emigrated from England and Wales and whose first registrable qualification was British was 870 in 1969–70, 850 in 1970–71 and 690 in 1971–72—years ending 30th September. Comparable figures for Great Britain are 1,050, 1,010 and 820. Many doctors of course return, though information is not readily available in respect of country of qualification. However, the net loss from Great Britain of doctors born in the United Kingdom or Irish Republic in these years was 270, 290 and 10 respectively. Provisional indications are that average net outflow in 1972–73 and 1973–74 was similar to that in 1970–71 (290).
§ Mr. Onslowasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her latest estimate of the number of doctors in general practice in England and Wales who first qualified at medical schools overseas; what proportion of the total number of general practitioners this represents; and how these figures compare with those for 1964.
§ Dr. OwenInformation in the form requested is not available. On 1st October 1974, 3,732–17.4 per cent.—of doctors in England and Wales providing the full range of general medical services were born outside the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic. This compares with 2,255–11.3 per cent—in 1965. Additional information is available in respect of 1973, when the figure was 3,507, or 16.5 per cent. Of these, 2,031–10 per cent. of the total—obtained overseas the first qualification which entitled them to full registration in this country.