§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to revise his Department's targets for recruiting(a) occupational therapists and (b) physiotherapists as a result of the recommendation of the National Audit Office in its report on hospital discharge. [105391]
§ Mr. HuttonThe NHS Plan acknowledged that there was a shortage of staff in the national health service and set challenging targets for increasing the NHS work force. The Government are committed to increasing the numbers of therapists and other health professionals, including physiotherapists and occupational therapists, by 6,500 by 2004 over a 1999 baseline. By September 2001, there had been an increase of 3,400.
776WOccupational therapy and physiotherapy are two of the fastest growing professions in the NHS, increasing by 2,030 or 20 per cent. and 1,970 or 14 per cent. respectively since 1997.
Occupational therapy training places have increased by 605 and physiotherapy training places by 687 since 1997 and are set to rise further as part of the NHS Plan commitment to provide 4,450 more training places for therapists and other key professional staff by 2004.