§ Mrs. Ray Michieasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the numbers of speech therapists employed in England and Scotland for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe figures for England are shown in the table. Figures for Scotland are matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
NHS Speech therapists as at 30 September: England Year Whole-time equivalent 1982 1,900 1983 1,970 1984 2,150 1985 2,340 1986 2,510 Note: All figures are independently rounded to the nearest 10 whole-time equivalent.
Source: DHSS Annual census of NHS Non-Medical Manpower.
These figures reflect a 32 per cent. increase in whole-time equivalent staff employed in the years in question.
§ Mrs. Ray Michieasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to improve the provision of speech therapy; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonIt is for individual health authorities to determine the appropriate level of provision of their speech therapy services, having regard to local circumstances, competing priorities and available resources. The numbers of speech therapists employed has risen by nearly 50 per cent. since 1979 and the expenditure on speech therapy services has also increased at a much faster rate than the general increase in National Health Service expenditure.