asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list the number of (a) ophthalmic opticians and (b) dispensing opticians in independent practice in each year since 1978;(2) if he will list the number of enrolled bodies corporate practising as
(a) ophthalmic opticians and (b) dispensing opticians in each year since 1978.
We do not have information in the form requested. The following table shows the numbers of opticians and enrolled bodies corporate registered with the General Optical Council and the number of practices providing services under the NHS general ophthalmic services. We do not have information about the numbers in other forms of practice.
(England figures as at 31 December except where shown otherwise)
| |||||||
1978
| 1979
| 1980
| 1981
| 1982
| 1983
| 1984
| |
| Establishments of enrolled bodies corporate in the GOS | |||||||
| Ophthalmic opticians | 1,482 | 1,504 | 1,518 | 1,547 | 1,630 | 1,675 | *
|
| Dispensing opticians | 532 | 524 | 568 | 557 | 535 | 536 | *
|
*Not yet available. | |||||||