HC Deb 19 December 1988 vol 144 cc132-3W
Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many National Health Service family planning clinics have been closed in each of the last three years; by what amount staffing levels have changed; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Mellor

We do not hold information centrally in the form requested. National figures for the number of health authority family planning clinics and sessions provided in the last three years for which figures are available are set out in the table.

Family Planning Clinic Service—England Community and hospital clinics1
1984 1985 1986
Premises regularly used for family planning sessions 1,768 1,746 1,756
Sessions (all types)2 197,127 196,075 195,700
1The table covers all clinic services including any provided by voluntary bodies or others on an agency basis.
2A session with two doctors has been included as two sessions. If

more than one nurse was present at a "nurse only" session it has been included as one session unless each nurse was advising a separate group.