§ 34. Mr. Albuasked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to remedy the serious shortage of radiographers, laboratory technicians and physiotherapists in hospitals.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithAlthough local shortages exist, the total numbers of radiographers and medical laboratory technicians employed in hospitals have increased each year since 1957, and the number of students in training in all three classes has substantially increased since 1957. Salaries have in every case been increased in the last year, and, so far as radiographers in particular are concerned, I issued guidance last April to hospital authorities about measures for improving recruitment and retention of staff.
§ Mr. AlbuThe numbers may have increased over the country, but is it not also true that there is a serious shortage of all types of technicians and non-medical professional staff, including pharmacists, and that this is partly due to the fact that in many cases their salary scales are inadequate?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithAs the hon. Gentleman knows, the salary scales are regulated by the Whitley procedure and, as I indicated in my Answer, there have been substantial increases to all these salaries over a very recent period.