§ Mr. Robin CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many places were available annually for training students in physiotherapy in each of the last 10 years; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of existing places.
§ Mr. RifkindThe number of places for training physiotherapy students in Scotland is available only over the last four years and is as follows:
Number 1987 153 1988 155 1989 154 1990 160 Physiotherapy courses are heavily oversubscribed and there is no longer a limit on the number of student places. There is no indication that the number of physiotherapists qualifying each year is insufficient to fill vacant posts in Scotland. Recruitment and retention of staff in all the professions allied to medicine including physiotherapy is being examined by a paramedical manpower steering group recently established by the National Health Service management executive.