HC Deb 15 May 2002 vol 385 c735W
Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area have been waiting(a) over 12 months and (b) over 15 months for treatment. [55738]

Yvette Cooper

[holding answer 14 May 2002]: At 31 March 2002 Mid Essex Hospital Services national health service trust had 320 patients waiting more than 12 months for elective admission. The trust had no patients waiting more than 15 months.

Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) general practitioner and (b) practice nurse vacancies there are within the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area.[55736]

Yvette Cooper

[holding answer 14 May 2002]: The Department first carried out a survey into general practitioner (GP) recruitment, retention and vacancies in 2000. The information is collated on a health authority basis.

In the 2001 survey North Essex health authority reported that it had 27 GP vacancies outstanding at some time in the 12-month period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001.

Results from the 2002 survey should be available later in the year.

Information on practice nurse vacancies is not collected centrally.