§ 10. Mr. Abseasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many were on the waiting list of the general surgical department of the Newport and East Monmouth group on the appointment of a locum consultant general surgeon who has now been given a notice of termination of employment; what is the present waiting list of this department; and whether the present locum appointment can be extended until the appointment of a permanent consultant surgeon in 1975.
§ The Minister of State, Welsh Office (Mr. David Gibson-Watt)When the locum was appointed on 1st January 1970, the waiting lists for in-patient and out-patient treatment stood respectively at 1,121 and 711. On 31st March 1973, the latest date for which figures are available, the figures were 1,905 and 613. I understand that the Welsh Hospital Board does not propose to extend the temporary consultant appointment.
§ Mr. AbseWhat possible justification can there be for not extending the appointment when, as the Ministry of State frankly concedes, the numbers on the waiting lists are mounting? What possible justification can there be for hundreds of people in my constituency to have to wait months or years because of the parsimony in refusing either to extend the existing locum appointment or to permit another locum to come along until a firm appointment is made? Is there no consideration or compassion for the hundreds of people on the waiting lists? Will not the hon. Gentleman look at this matter again?
§ Mr. Gibson-WattI say at once that there is great consideration and great compassion, and I am the first to admit that the length of the lists in South-East Wales is longer than it should be. It has been long for a considerable time; I have the figures with me. But that, of course, does not make the position any better. An additional permanent consultancy post in general surgery was filled at Newport last August, and a further new post is approved for 1975, while a 976 new consultancy post in anaesthetics is hoped to be filled later this year. I hope that these steps will help.