§ Mr. Haynesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many regional medical officers have left their employment with his Department to take up positions of employment within the pharmaceutical industry within the last 10 years; and how many regional medical officers currently employed have had any previous experience in employment within the pharmaceutical industry.
§ Mr. WhitneyI am informed that no regional medical officer has resigned to join the pharmaceutical industry over the last 10 years and no regional medical officer currently employed has a background in the pharmaceutical industry.
§ Mr. Haynesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many regional medical officers have been employed by his Department in the field of providing prescribing advice to general practitioners in the last year and for the last five years; whether there are any plans to increase the total number of regional medical officers in this work; and how many regional officers serve each region of the National Health Service.
§ Mr. WhitneyThere are about 40 regional medical officers who visit general practitioners to discuss prescribing although this work takes only about 10 per cent. of their time. These figures have remained constant over the last five years and there are no plans at present to expand their activity. Each region is served by between two and four doctors.