§ 23. Mr. D. Howellasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the growing concern regarding the transfer of consultants and specialists in the Health Service from whole-time to maximum part-time employment; who is responsible for supervising such employment; why he has directed that a legal opinion to the effect that such a transfer constitutes new conditions of service and should be treated as a new contract should be disregarded; and why he is encouraging the automatic transfer of these consultants.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithNo. These doctors are appointed and employed by regional hospital boards and boards of governors. I am advised that where there is no substantial change in duties there is no need to advertise the post when the contract is varied by the parties. I am in no way encouraging the automatic transfer of consultants to part-time employment; such transfers are a matter for local arrangement.
§ 24. Mr. D. Howellasked the Minister of Health in what circumstances he authorises regional hospital boards to countermand the decisions of hospital management committees to refuse to agree to the transfer of consultants from a whole-time to a maximum part-time basis; and whether he will give instructions that no consultant services committee of a regional hospital board should contain a majority of medical men.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithSince responsibility for these decisions rests with regional hospital boards the first part of the question does not arise. There is no obligation on boards to appoint a consultant services committee and it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in the composition of a committee which a board chooses to set up.