§ 17. Mr. Boydenasked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to provide funds for the postgraduate medical education of doctors employed in the health service.
§ Mr. BarberI am considering how this should be further developed.
§ Mr. BoydenWhat are the difficulties? Is there some inter-departmental dispute about who is responsible? Why does not the right hon. Gentleman get on with the job and accept his responsibility in this matter?
§ Mr. BarberAs the hon. Gentleman knows, the training of doctors is part of the day-to-day work in hospitals, but I quite agree that there is need to expand postgraduate medical education in a methodical way, particularly in the non-teaching hospitals. The Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the University Grants Committee, which is very involved in all this, considered with the medical profession and other major interested bodies, at a conference on 22nd November—not so long ago—the lines on which regional boards should be encouraged to expand existing facilities and to plan future developments using Exchequer funds. The next stage will be to discuss this with the boards.