§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the statistics that are held centrally concerning chiropody and podiatric services. [46310]
§ Mr. BoatengThe Department collects three categories of statistics.
Information is collected from National Health Service trusts about patient contacts with their chiropody services on Department of Health annual return KT23. Information is published each year and the most recent summary is "Chiropody services, summary information for 1996–97, England".
The Department collects annual statistics about the number of chiropody staff employed by the hospital and community health services (HCHS) and in the general medical services. Information about the age, sex and ethnic origin of chiropody staff employed by the HCHS is also collected. Information is published annually, the latest is included in the Department's Statistical Bulletins: "NHS Hospital and Community Health Services non-medical 393W staff in England 1987–1997" and "Statistics for General Medical Practitioners in England: 1987–1997" and reference volume "NHS Hospital and Community Health Services non-medical workforce census: England 1996, detailed results".
National Health Service trusts provide figures for total expenditure on community chiropody services in the annual financial returns. Analysis of these data by individual trusts in England for the years 1994–95 to 1996–97 is available, as is the other information detailed, in the Library.