General Practitioners (Hansard, 25 July 1989)

§ Mr. Jack
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners were under contract to the National Health Service in 1979; how much this cost; and what were the comparable figures in 1988.

§ 75. Mr. Sumberg
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of general practitioners now; and what it was in 1979.

§ Mr. Mellor
The figures are as follows:
670W

Year on 31 October 1979 1987 ¹ 1988

Number of unrestricted principals² 21,357 24,992 25,322

Cost of general medical services³ (£ million) 468 125 1,402

¹Provisional.

²Doctors in contract with FPCs in England to provide unrestricted services.

³Cost of the general medical services in England, excluding the cost of drugs and appliances prescribed by GPs and the administrative costs, for years 1979–80, 1987–88 and (provisional) 1988–89

Year on 31 October	1979	1987	¹ 1988
Number of unrestricted principals²	21,357	24,992	25,322
Cost of general medical services³ (£ million)	468	125	1,402
¹Provisional.
²Doctors in contract with FPCs in England to provide unrestricted services.
³Cost of the general medical services in England, excluding the cost of drugs and appliances prescribed by GPs and the administrative costs, for years 1979–80, 1987–88 and (provisional) 1988–89