NHS (Recruitment Advertising)

HC Deb 13 December 1983 vol 50 c830

15. Mr. Fallon

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now reduce the costs of National Health Service recruitment advertising.

Mr. John Patten

We are currently considering the report of a Rayner style scrutiny of NHS recruitment advertising, which suggests various possibilities for reducing expenditure.

Mr. Fallon

Is my hon. Friend aware that a recent edition of the Nursing Times contained more than 56 pages of NHS advertising for 500 or 600 vacancies? Is there not a cheaper way of circulating these vacancies than providing a public subsidy for a commercial paper?

Mr. Patten

Health authorities subsidise some of these journals to the tune of £7 million a year. That sum must be scrutinised closely to make sure that we are getting the best value for money, and that is what we are doing.