§ 22. Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Minister of Health how many doctors were employed in hospitals in the Sheffield region at the latest possible date; and how many vacancies now exist.
§ Mr. LoughlinAbout 1,310 in terms of whole time equivalents at 30th September, 1965. Some 80 posts are vacant.
§ Mr. WainwrightWould my hon. Friend take into account that there are other factors besides salaries which are causing the shortage of doctors in this region? May I ask him to consult his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science to make more places available in our medical schools, especially for women students?
§ Mr. LoughlinI should like my hon. Friend to know that the figures I gave him represented a substantial increase on the numbers in the previous year. We appreciate that there is a need for a greater outflow of medical students, but the outflow is increasing. We estimate that there should be about 1,710 British-born graduates this year. We have improved the position considerably.