§ Mr. McMahonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many psychogeriatrician consultants are at present employed within the National Health Service in Scotland, and in each Scottish region; and how these figures compare with May 1979.
§ Mr. John MacKayAlthough it is known that some consultants are engaged full time in the treatment of psychogeriatric patients, psychogeriatrics is not recognised as a separate specialty and the number of such consultants cannot therefore be separately identified from central manpower statistics. In general, psychogeriatric patients come under the care of consultants in geriatrics or in mental illness and the numbers of consultants in these specialties as at 30 September—which is when the statistics are collected—in 1979 and 1982 are set out below in the form requested. Figures for May 1979 are not available. The figures are in terms of whole-time equivalents.
318W
Geriatrics September Mental Illness September Health Board 1979 1982* 1979 1982* Ayrshire and Arran 1.5 2.5 5.0 5.9 Borders 1.0 1.0 3.0 3.0 Argyll and Clyde 5.0 4.0 13.6 16.5 Fife 3.0 2.0 7.0 8.9 Greater Glasgow 15.8 17.2 45.9 49.6 Highland 2.0 2.0 7.0 7.0 Lanarkshire 3.0 5.0 14.0 12.0
Average cost per week £ 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 (b) Local authority old people's home per place 70 87 112 (c) Geriatric bed 134 149 192 These figures do not take account of interest charges on capital expenditure on buildings or of income accruing by way of payments from those in receipt of the services.