§ Mr. TredinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many complementary medical practitioners are now receiving NHS payment via the family health services authority as full members of the primary care team;
(2) if she will indicate the number of complementary therapists employed in (a) fund-holding general practitioner practices and (b) non-fund-holding general practitioner practices;
(3) what steps she will take to draw doctors' and family health service authorities' attention to the new possibilities raised by the announcement of 3 December 1991 allowing doctors to delegate responsibilities to practitioners of complementary medicine provided the doctor retained clinical charge of a patient.
§ Mr. SackvilleThis information is not held centrally. However, my hon. Friend will wish to know that it is open to all GPs to employ a wide range of staff including complementary therapists" where appropriate, to assist them in the provision of general medical services.
General practitioners are already aware that their terms of service allow them to employ a wide range of staff including complementary therapists. Family health services authorities who have management responsibility for the GP practice staff reimbursement scheme are similarly aware. The press release to which my hon. Friend refers simply clarified the existing position. We see no need therefore to issue further guidance.
§ Mr. TredinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what effects the proposed changes in health promotion clinic fee structure will have on counselling services in primary health care and on the availability of complementary therapies.
§ Mr. SackvilleIt will remain open to practices, as now, to offer these services to patients if they so wish.
The arrangements for health promotion programmes, to be introduced from July 1993, will concentrate on action to address smoking, coronary heart disease and stroke. But there will also be transitional arrangements to help protect existing activity outside the scope of the main scheme, and we intend from 1994–95 to establish funding arrangements for action to address additional local priorities.