HC Deb 23 March 1978 vol 946 cc710-1W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give for a date in each of the years from 1974 the total number of employees in the National Health Service, in social security offices and in his Department; what are the reasons for the increases in such numbers and what were the total costs for these employees at the dates in question.

Mr. Deakins

The number of employees in the National Health Service in England and their total costs are given in the tables below. The increases in numbers resulted from improvements in the services provided by the National Health Service, which is labour-intensive.

receive the same standard of health care as other member of the public, but I recognise that those who lack a settled way of life both experience difficulties themselves and present special problems for health authorities. Their particular needs and possible ways of meeting them were drawn to attention of area medical officers in July 1976.

In March 1977 my Department sent medical officers for environmental health lists of addresses of organisations in their areas where homeless people might be found to require treatment for tuberculosis. The medical officers were asked to arrange for any appropriate liaison between these organisations and local chest physicians.

My Department is supporting an experimental centre which opened in January 1978 in London's Soho area to provide primary health care for homeless young people.

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