§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the shortfall in the recruitment of medical students and nurses in the National Health Service.
§ Dr. OwenSo far as medical students are concerned, I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science that all available intake places in the medical schools are filled.
There is no nationally accepted basis for deciding the nurse staffing establishments of health authorities. Individual authorities are responsible for assessing their own nurse staffing requirements and for recruitment. Information about the number of nurses who need to be recruited to bring all health authorities up to their locally determined establishments is not readily available.