§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioner vacancies there are in(a) Tendring primary care trust and (b) Colchester PCT. [28499]
§ Mr. HuttonThere are five general practitioner vacancies within Tendring primary care trust. Three vacancies are in the process of being advertised and the fourth vacancy will be advertised after 1 April 2002. The remaining vacancy is the subject of discussions which are currently taking place between Tendring PCT and the surgery.
There are two general practitioner vacancies in Colchester primary care trust both of which are in the process of being recruited to.
In all cases interim cover is being provided by locum or salaried general practitioners.