§ 19. Sir K. Josephasked the Minister of Health how many staff are engaged in the Hospital Organisation and Methods Service; what assignments are at present being undertaken by it; and whether he can yet announce how much he proposes to extend this service.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithNine. Eight comparative studies and twelve individual assignments are in hand. In addition, twenty assignments at individual hospitals have been accepted but not yet started. I am considering how, and in what form, this service can best be extended.
§ Sir K. JosephWithout exaggerating the virtues of this technique, does not my right hon. and learned Friend feel that a staff of nine is grossly inadequate when put to use in such a vast organisation employing almost the third largest man-power force of the whole country; and when he comes to consider what he proposes to do, will he bear in mind that much benefit could be gained by circulating the results of each inquiry, as it is held, to comparable institutions so that all may benefit?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThe last part of my hon. Friend's question is really more applicable, I think, to the comparative studies than to the individual assignments, because of the variety of circumstances to which the individual assignments relate.
Replying to my hon. Friend's main point, he will, I know, appreciate that the studies so far put in hand result from the experimental unit which was set up to see whether this Organisation and Methods system would be of value in the hospital service. The result, I think, is that it has been clearly shown to be of value, and I am actively considering the best way to make this a permanent feature integrated in the hospital service.