§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of speech therapists required in Cumbria; and how many were in post at the latest available date. [73480]
§ Mr. DenhamNorth Cumbria Health Authority has agreed with local National Health Service trusts and Cumbria Education Authority that the number of speech and language therapists should be increased by four. Recruitment to these posts is currently underway.
22 whole-time equivalent staff classed as therapists working in the speech and language therapy area of work were in post in North Cumbria on 30 September 1997.
Source: Department of Health Annual Non-Medical Workforce Census.