HC Deb 31 January 2002 vol 379 cc548-9W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to announce the(a) scope and (b) content of the National Service Framework on neurological conditions. [31880]

Jacqui Smith

The scoping event held in November with a wide cross section of stakeholders provided some very helpful material, relevant both to the scope of the National Service Framework for Long-term Conditions (NSF) and to considerations about how to develop it. The NSF project team will advise Ministers shortly about refining the scope of the NSF and identifying the specific conditions to be included. The Department expects to announce details of the scope and content of the NSF later this year.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out for each NHS(a) region, (b) health authority and (c) trust the (i) mean, (ii) mode and (iii) median waiting time for a first appointment to see a neurologist in each quarter for the last four years. [31877]

Mr. Hutton

The data requested are being prepared by the Department and will be published in full shortly. Waiting times data are available on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/waiting

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many neurologists there were in England, broken down by region, in the last five years; and how many he estimates there will be in post in the next five years. [31878]

Hospital medical staff within the neurology specialty by region
As at 30 September Number
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
All staff Consultant All staff Consultant All staff Consultant All staff Consultant All staff Consultant
England 620 260 640 280 640 300 660 300 690 330
Northern and Yorkshire 80 30 80 30 70 30 70 30 70 40
Trent 40 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 60 20
West Midlands 50 20 50 30 60 30 70 30 70 30
North West 70 30 70 30 70 30 80 40 80 40
Eastern 50 20 50 20 50 20 60 30 60 30
London 220 90 230 100 220 100 200 100 210 100
South East 90 40 90 40 100 50 100 50 110 60
South Western 40 20 40 20 40 20 40 20 50 20

Note:

1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

2.Where regions are shown, staff holding appointments in more than one region are included separately in each region. The sum of regional totals therefore differs slightly from the England total and a direct comparison between England totals and regional totals is not advised.

Source:

Department of Health medical and dental work force census