§ 8. Mr. Douglas-Mannasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of actual and prospective shortages of medically qualified personnel in the National Health Service, she is satisfied that enough is being done to recruit, encourage and ensure the effective deployment of women doctors.
§ Mrs. CastleNo, Sir. I am anxious to extend the employment of women doctors in the National Health Service. A number of steps have already been taken to this end, including the extension of the women doctors' retainer scheme which I announced on 1st April. I have decided, however, that the whole question should be reviewed to see what more we can do. We are inviting representatives of the medical bodies concerned and individual practising women doctors to a special conference with me and my Department in July to discuss the contribution of married women doctors to the National Health Service; to consider the problems faced by married women doctors on re-entry to active medical practice and in combining family with professional responsibilities; and to make recommendations.
§ Mr. Douglas-MannIs my right hon. Friend aware that her attitude is extremely encouraging? Is she satisfied that the British Medical Association is doing all it can in this matter? Does she agree that it has a vital rôle to play in the efficient operation of the National Health Service? Is she aware that many people feel it is getting a little out of touch? Does she realise that it has 218 recently made redundant the only woman doctor it employed?
§ Mrs. CastleI am aware of that. Naturally, as co-chairman of the Women's National Campaign in International Women's Year, I deeply deplore the reduction in the employment of any women in posts of responsibility.
§ Mr. SteenWill the right hon. Lady encourage medical schools to take a greater percentage of British-born students? Is she aware that a number of such students who apply are at present rejected? Does she know whether there is any practice of positive discrimination which results in up to 15 per cent. of non-British-born students being admitted to medical schools?
§ Mrs. CastleWe attach enormous importance to the increase in the intake of our medical schools. We have a planned programme of expansion aimed at doubling the figures by 1980. One of the purposes of so doing is to enable this country to be less dependent on foreign doctors.
§ Mrs. Millie MillerWhen meeting the women doctors and the organisations which purport to represent them will my right hon. Friend remember that almost all the women doctors who are protesting and asking to be considered for promotion, re-employment and so on are British-born, British-educated and British-trained? Is she further aware that the BMA, which is supposed to represent them, has done nothing to make use of their talents and apparently has preferred doctors from overseas with the attendant language problems of which we are aware?
§ Mrs. CastleI entirely agree with my hon. Friend that the women doctors to whom we are referring are mainly British-born. It is my earnest desire to remove any remaining obstacles to the continuing employment of married women doctors and to their re-entry into the profession when they have had to leave it. Many of them want to work part-time. This sometimes creates difficulties either for the practices or for the health authorities involved. We have taken steps to overcome those difficulties. What I hope will come out of this conference is a way of overcoming the remaining 219 obstacles in the attitudes of mind of the employers concerned.
§ Mr. CrouchDoes the right hon. Lady believe that the London teaching hospitals sometimes give too great a priority to the performance of their rugby teams rather than to the recruitment of those who are to serve in the hospitals?