§ Dr. IddonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many medical school courses currently offer(a) community-based vocational training with other healthcare professionals, (b) distance learning and (c) qualification within four years. [74193]
§ Mr. MudieInformation on the number of medical school courses currently offering community-based vocational training with other healthcare professionals is not held centrally. Nor do we hold central information on the number of medical school courses offering distance learning but, in 1997–98, there were 480 student enrolments on postgraduate level distance learning courses in clinical medicine at the University of Bath. No other HE institution in the UK has any students recorded as studying pre-clinical or clinical medicine by distance learning. There were also 22 higher education institutions involved in distance learning courses in subjects allied to medicine in the same year with 4,599 students taking a range of subjects at sub-degree, first degree and postgraduate levels. There is no course currently in operation offering an undergraduate qualification in medicine within four years, but Leicester is shortly starting a course in 1999.
§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many medical school courses offer cross-disciplinary training for primary health care staff. [73754]
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§ Mr. MudieThis information is not kept centrally. A survey by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals in 1997 showed that 60 UK institutions offered courses involving shared teaching and learning across the professions: 32 at both undergraduate and postgraduate level; 14 at undergraduate level only; and 14 at postgraduate level only.