§ 33. Mr. Ivor Thomasasked the Minister of Health whether he will undertake that, before any more general practitioners are released for the Services, the Emergency Medical Service will be reduced to a size more comparable with proved needs?
§ Mr. E. BrownAs stated in a Reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for London University (Sir E. Graham-Little) on 15th April, a percentage reduction in the whole-time medical staffs of hospitals, including those enrolled in the Emergency Medical Service, is already being carried out, in the light of the proved needs of the hospitals. In addition, the period for which hospital appointments may be held by recently qualified doctors liable to military service has been restricted. The reduction of hospital staffs is, therefore, proceeding concurrently with the call for more general practitioners for the Services.