§ 44. Dr. Edith Summerskillasked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the Report of the Inter-departmental Committee on Medical Schools.
§ Mr. WillinkYes, Sir. Since time to-day is short, I will, with permission, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following is the statement:
The Committee have recommended a comprehensive programme for the reform and development of medical education and research. Certain of the matters involved would require legislation, and these the Government propose to discuss with the bodies concerned. Apart from these the Committee's recommendations are in the first place for the responsible educational authorities to study in framing their future policy, and the Government accordingly invite Universities, medical schools, and teaching hospitals to give the report early consideration. Recognising the fundamental importance of medical education and research to the future of the country's health services, the Government accept the principle of increased grants for the purposes of medical education and research to be distributed by the University Grants Committee through the Universities to medical schools, post-graduate schools and institutes, and hospitals used for teaching and research. 352 They also accept the suggestion that for a limited period these additional grants should be separated from the block grants received by Universities for their work as a whole. The amounts of grant to be made from time to time, whether for capital or for recurrent expenditure, will be determined after consideration in the light of the recommendations of the University Grants Committee and the general financial position prevailing. The Government share the views expressed in the report on the importance of affording to women equal opportunities to those enjoyed by men for medical training and for obtaining post-graduate experience. They have, therefore, decided, as recommended by the Committee, that future payments of grant to medical schools should be conditional on the adoption by the school of the principle of admitting a reasonable proportion of students of both sexes. They recognise that schools at present open to one sex only may need periods of varying lengths to adjust their arrangements to a co-educational basis, and they therefore propose that the University Grants Committee in consultation with the University authorities concerned should be charged with the responsibility of determining from time to time whether the action taken by each of these schools complies with the principle to the extent that is reasonable. The Government attach equal importance to the revision of the medical curriculum, and their acceptance of the principle of increased grants for medical education and research is dependent on the early completion of this process. They are, therefore, glad to learn that, as recommended by the Committee, the General Medical Council has already taken the initiative in the matter.