§ 13. Mr. K. Robinsonasked the Minister of Health how many part-time consultants engaged for the maximum 2235 number of sessions and how many whole-time consultants were employed in the National Health Service at the latest convenient date; and if he will state the corresponding figures for 1950 and 1951.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThe number of whole-time consultants in England and Wales at 31st December, 1952, was 1,800. The corresponding numbers for 1950 and 1951 were 1,529 and 1,650. Information about the numbers of part-time consultants doing maximum sessions is not available.
§ Mr. RobinsonWould the right hon. Gentleman try to obtain this information, because there are indications of a rather disturbing trend away from whole-time consultants to part-time consultants'? Is he aware that there are strong financial inducements to doctors to transfer from whole-time to part-time service? Will he look at this question again?
§ Mr. MacleodThat trend may be true in one particular region, but it certainly is not true of the country. The percentage of whole-time specialists among all consultants has, in fact, climbed steadily in each of the last three years. Although there has been an increase in the number of part-timers—which, of course, I know, but not on the basis on which the hon. Member asks on the question of maximum sessions—the percentage is less than the increase of the whole-timers.