§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken, following the introduction of the care programme approach and services for older people with 679W dementia, to increase the number of clinical psychologists available to the NHS; and what steps she is taking to ensure that mechanisms exist to effectively link vacancy figures with training commissions. [16173]
§ Mr. BowisIt is for local employers to determine the staff needed to deliver the services that they have contracted to provide. Since 1991, the number of clinical psychologists employed by the national health service trusts and the number of training places commissioned on their behalf by regional health authorities has continued to increase to meet the growing demand for clinical psychologists. The number of clinical psychologists has risen from 2,100 in 1990 to 2,810 in 1993 which represents an increase of 34 per cent.