§ 21. Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware that there exist in the Trent Regional Health Authority area inequalities in health services in comparison with other health authorities; and what future plans he has to bring the Trent Regional Health Authority services up to the average in the country.
§ Mr. MoyleI recognise that the Trent health region is relatively deprived compared with most other regions in England. The Government are determined that the resources of the National Health Service should be more fairly shared between regions and within them. Rapid progress, when resources are tightly constrained, is impossible without damage to important 437W existing services. For the next two or three years, therefore, we must expect to move slowly but deliberately. We shall, however, move as swiftly as resources permit.