General Practitioners

David Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of GP practices in each of the regions had at least 50 per cent. of their patients living three or more miles away in the last year.

Mr. Bradshaw
The Department does not hold this information centrally.

David Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of GP practices in each of the regions was single-handed in each of the last two years.

Mr. Bradshaw
The information requested has been placed in the Library.

David Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average practice list size was for (a) GPs and (b) dentists in each region in each of the last two years.

Mr. Bradshaw
The average general practice list size, by strategic health authority (SHA), as at 30 September 2007 is shown in the following table.

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|                                                                                                         |Total number of general practitioners practices|Average practice list size|
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|North East                                                                                               |394                                            |6,681                     |
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|North West                                                                                               |1,272                                          |5,679                     |
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|Yorkshire and Humber                                                                                     |807                                            |6,603                     |
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|East Midlands                                                                                            |627                                            |7,134                     |
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|West Midlands                                                                                            |965                                            |5,890                     |
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|East of England                                                                                          |769                                            |7,417                     |
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|London                                                                                                   |1,546                                          |5,441                     |
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|South East Coast                                                                                         |644                                            |6,918                     |
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|South Central                                                                                            |503                                            |8,363                     |
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|South West                                                                                               |734                                            |7,252                     |
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|Source:The Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics|                                               |                          |
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The Department does not collect these data for the Northern Ireland regions.

List size data for dental practices are not held centrally.

Mr. Lansley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) with reference to page 113 of the 2008 Pre-Budget Report, Cm 7484, what the location is of each GP surgery to be upgraded into a training practice;

(2) with reference to page 113 of the 2008 Pre-Budget Report, Cm 7484, how the £100 million for upgrading GP surgeries to training practices will be allocated.

Mr. Bradshaw
These are early days and quite rightly no full and final decisions have been made yet. The decisions need to be made with the full involvement of all parties concerned, and we will ensure that this happens, so that we achieve the maximum benefits and direct investment to address health inequalities.