§ 24. Mr. K. Robinsonasked the Minister of Health the number of consultants per 100,000 population in the four metropolitan regions taken together, and in the rest of England and Wales.
§ Mr. Vaughan-Morgan18.7 and 12.7.
§ Mr. RobinsonDo not those figures suggest that there is a very serious shortage of consultants in provincial areas? As there are many hundreds of senior trained registrars awaiting consultant appointments, will the hon. Gentleman consider authorising a considerable increase in consultative appointments in the provinces?
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganThe disparity in the figures is not quite as great as is suggested. Expressed as whole-time equivalents, the figures are 13.95 in London and 10.51 in the rest of the country. There is a complication which slightly confuses the issue in the rather higher ratio of teaching to non-teaching beds in the Metropolitan area.
Mr. BlonkinsopIs the hon. Gentleman aware that in the North-Eastern Region, the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board is saying that his own Ministry is preventing appointments to consultant posts which it wants to make?
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganThe hon. Gentleman has raised that matter in another way.