Senior Registrars (Hansard, 10 March 1958)

§ 24. Mr. K. Robinson
asked the Minister of Health when he expects to meet the Joint Consultants Committee to discuss the senior registrar problem.

§ Mr. Walker-Smith
Tuesday, 25th March.

§ Mr. Robinson
Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman, since there has been an effort over a long period to reach an agreed solution in this matter, give an assurance that he will, if necessary, impose his own just solution on the profession and see that no medical or vested interests are allowed to stand in the way of its implementation?

§ Mr. Walker-Smith
I would not like to enter into a discussion of this sort on any assumption other than that reason will prevail and that we shall get an appropriate and reasonable solution harmoniously by agreement together.

§ 34. Mr. Cronin
asked the Minister of Health on how many occasions representatives of his Department have had meetings with the Joint Consultants Com- 6 mittee during the last two years to discuss the difficulties of senior registrars in the National Health Service; and what have been the obstacles to reaching agreement.

§ Mr. Walker-Smith
There have been ten meetings at which the general question of hospital medical staffing, including the senior registrar aspect, has been discussed. As I am to meet the Joint Committee, I would prefer not to make any statement on the discussions at this stage.

§ Mr. Cronin
Does the right hon. Gentleman's Answer suggest that his Department has had a deliberate policy of procrastination over the last two years? May we, therefore, hope that this meeting on 25th March will be fruitful? Although I appreciate that the right hon. Gentleman may not wish to answer now, will he consider very carefully the idea of setting up as soon as possible a working party representative of the interests involved to solve this problem?

§ Mr. Walker-Smith
On the first part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question, I certainly cannot accept that there has been any policy of procrastination, deliberate or otherwise, on the part of my Department. On the second part of the supplementary question, I think it would be well to let me have the meeting with the Committee on 25th March and to see how we get on.

§ 35. Mr. Cronin
asked the Minister of Health why he has made it a condition for relieving the difficulties of senior registrars that the medical profession should agree to the setting up of a number of new special posts, not previously provided for in the National Health Service, in which the duties are similar to those of consultants, whereas the salary and status are substantially inferior to those of consultants.

§ Mr. Walker-Smith
No such condition has been made.

§ Mr. Cronin
Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the medical profession will be very glad to hear that, and does he appreciate the awkwardness that arises when his representatives say one thing and he says another in the House?

§ Mr. Walker-Smith
Really, I cannot accept that statement from the hon. Gentleman. My representatives have not said anything contrary to what I have said in the House. I do ask the hon. Gentleman to believe that we really would get on better if we were able to have this discussion with the Committee, rather than that he should interpret, on a basis of hearsay, in this House what he thinks is going on.