HC Deb 18 May 1995 vol 260 cc342-3W
Mrs. Beckett

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the number of(a) surgical, (b) adult medical, (c) paediatric, (d) intensive therapy units, (e) A and E and (f) other, emergency admissions in each of the last 10 years. [24722]

Mr. Sackville

Information for the years 1988–89 to 1993–94 is shown in the table. Comparable data for earlier years are not available centrally. Patients in intensive therapy units are admitted under the care of consultants in the specialties that provide the treatment.

Emergency admissions, numbers of finished consultant episodes:

Mr. Malone

"The New Deal on Junior Doctors' Hours", copies of which are available in the Library, has resulted in significant improvements in the conditions of junior doctors. Over 96 per cent. of the 27,669 junior doctors and dentists in England now comply with the current new deal contracted hours' targets.

We have devoted over £180 million to support the new deal. Our task forces, working closely with hospitals, have made excellent progress in using this money not only to reduce junior doctors' hours but to make real improvements in their living and working conditions. Over 2,000 new posts for doctors, including over 900 extra consultant posts, have been funded centrally or locally to support the new deal. We have also enabled task forces to spend significant sums in-year on improving living and working conditions.

We introduced in 1992 a new, more flexible, pay system which recognises the diversity of junior doctors' working patterns and rewards them according to their level of work intensity. We have also accepted a recommendation this year from the Doctors and Dentists Pay. Review Body to increase the rate of pay for on-call work for house officers and senior house officers. This improves their position relative to other doctors in training.

We are committed to ensuring that the very encouraging progress made so far is sustained and that we continue to move forward in providing a better working and training environment for junior doctors. This will help to improve the quality of patient care delivered by doctors.