§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) funded and (b) un-funded specialist neurological registrars there were in each NHS region in (i) 1997-98 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available. [121622]
§ Mr. HuttonThe table shows the number of hospital medical staff within the registrar group in neurology by national health service region in 1997, 1998 and the latest year available, 2001.
Hospital medical registrar group within the neurology specialty by region Number (headcount) England at 30 September 1997 1998 2001 England 159 149 162 Northern and Yorkshire 18 11 23 Trent 15 15 12 West Midlands 8 10 15 North West 15 19 19 Eastern 12 8 15 London 77 72 60 South East 8 9 11 South Western 6 5 7 Source:
Department of Health medical and dental workforce census
The funding arrangements in 1997 and 1998 required Postgraduate Deans to fund 50 per cent. of the cost of a new specialist registrar (SpR) post and trusts would fund the remaining 50 per cent.
SpR posts are now funded in two ways; either through central funding (100 per cent. funding) or local funding, in which trusts either convert existing training posts or remap money into the training levy to pay for the post. This process of funding was established in 2001–02.
In 2001–02, central funding was provided to support the implementation of five additional SpR posts in neurology and eight additional posts were funded locally.
In 2003–04, central funding is being provided to support the implementation of 10 additional SpR posts in neurology. Trusts will also have the opportunity to create up to 20 locally funded SpR training opportunities.