HC Deb 26 January 1979 vol 961 cc282-4W
Mr. Baker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish the numbers of qualified doctors, dentists and opticians who were working in the United Kingdom in each of the past 10 years; and how many of these worked exclusively in the private sector, how many only in the National Health Service, and how many work in both the private and public sectors.

Mr. Deakins

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 18 January 1979; Vol. 960, c. 904], gave the following information:

It is not possible to answer the question in the form requested, since information held centrally relates only to Great Britain. Also, the available analyses of doctors are based on principal occupation and it is, therefore, not possible to provide information on those working in both the public and the private sectors. Finally, information on qualified dentists and opticians is held centrally only for those working in the National Health Service.

Table 1 below gives the estimated numbers of qualified doctors in Great Britain in the public and private sectors, separately, for the years 1968 to 1977—the latest available year. Information on the number of dentists and opticians working in the National Health Service for the years 1968 to 1977 are given in tables 2 and 3 below respectively.

TABLE 1
QUALIFIED DOCTORS WORKING IN GREAT BRITAIN 1968–77
Year All doctors Working in the public sector Working in fields other than the public sector
1968 64,500 61,800 2,700
1969 66,200 63,000 3,200
1970 68,000 64,200 3,800
1971 70,800 67,200 3,600
1972 71,600 67,500 4,100
1973 75,200 71,800 3,400
1974 77,500 73,600 3,900
1975 79,500 75,400 4,100
1976 79,900 76,100 3,800
1977 81,600 77,800 3,800

NOTES

(1) These figures are based on the number of fully and provisionally registered civilian doctors at 30 September each year together with, from 1971 to 1977 inclusive, the number of doctors holding temporary registration who were confirmed as working in Great Britain at 30 September each year.

(2) All figures are estimated and based on the principal occupations of the doctors concerned. The estimates are rounded to the nearest hundred.

(3) The "public sector" includes doctors working in the National Health Service, universities, the Civil Service, the public health laboratory service, special hospitals, the Employment Medical Advisory Service and factory doctors.

TABLE 2
QUALIFIED DENTISTS WORKING IN GREAT BRITAIN 1968–77
Year Dentists
1968 14,020
1969 14,130
1970 14,340
1971 14,570
1972 14,900
1973 15,150
1974 15,260
1975 15,690
1976 16,030
1977 16,440

NOTES

(1) These figures are based on the number of general dental practitioners at 30 September each year together with the whole time equivalent of those dentists who work in the hospital and community health services.

(2) Some general dental practitioners also work in the hospital and community health services and to this extent the above figures will include some duplication.

(3) The figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

TABLE 3
QUALIFIED OPTICIANS WORKING IN GREAT BRITAIN 1968–77
Year Ophthalmic opticians Dispensing opticians
1968 5,753 1,150
1969 5,639 1,204
1970 5,567 1,296
1971 5,477 1,342
1972 5,388 1,393
1973 5,309 1,426
1974 5,252 1,402
1975 5,276 1,536
1976 5,343 1,627
1977 5,350 1,749

NOTES

(1) These figures are based on the number of ophthalmic and dispensing opticians in the general ophthalmic service at 30 December each year together with the whole time equivalents of ophthalmic and dispensing opticians in the hospital service at 30 September each year.

(2) Some general ophthalmic practitioners also work in the hospital service and to this extent the above figures will include some duplication.