§ Ms. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he intends to take in the light of the deficiencies in a wide range of essential laboratory and technical staff specialising in problems of the new-born, identified in the report "Medical Care of the New-born" by the Royal College of Physicians.
§ Mr. MellorThe professional and technical staff groups have, overall, had the largest percentage growth of all staff groups in recent years, but we are aware of shortages in some high technology areas where there is competition for staff from other types of employer. The management side of the relevant Whitley council has developed proposals for a more flexible grading structure for medical laboratory scientific officers and has made an offer to the staff side. The joint DH/NHS manpower planning advisory group has commissioned a report on the staffing and structure of the pathology services which will be issued for consultation shortly. However, the claims of staff shortages in the neonatal area in the Royal College of Physicians' report are not specific and we have received no other evidence of shortages in this area.