§ 26. Mr. Hollandasked the Minister of Health what is the estimated shortage of physics technicians in the National Health Service.
§ Mr. LoughlinHospitals were 13 per cent. below establishment on 30th September, 1965. Corresponding information for 1966 is not yet available.
§ Mr. HollandWill the Parliamentary Secretary accept the view expressed to me at the end of last week by the senior 619 technician at a large general hospital that much of the reason for the shortage is that the salary scales in the hospital service are so much behind the salary scales obtainable by people with similar qualifications outside? Has he any proposals for dealing with this?
§ Mr. LoughlinWe are always conscious that, over many years, there has been this difficulty of non-comparability to some extent as between employees in the public service and those in private employment. But there was an increase of 4¼ per cent. from 1st January this year. A revised grading structure and higher salaries were offered in the Whitley Council on 3rd June, but this had not been accepted by 20th July. We appreciate that the implications of the White Paper mean that there is disappointment, and as soon as this period is over we can, perhaps, look at the matter again.
§ 27. Mr. Hollandasked the Minister of Health what is the estimated shortage of heart and lung machine technicians in the National Health Service.
§ Mr. LoughlinThere is no separate class of heart and lung machine technicians, and staffing figures are thus not separately identifiable, but I am not aware of a general recruitment difficulty.