§ Mr. Gareth Wardellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report for each health authority in England the number of (a) paediatric cardiologists and (b) paediatric cardiac surgeons employed.
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§ Mr. HayhoeI regret that the information requested is not available. Neither paediatric cardiology nor paediatric cardiac surgery are recognised as distinct specialties by the Royal Colleges concerned. However, all paediatricians are trained in and provide paediatric cardiology, and all cardiothoracic surgeons are trained in and perform paediatric cardiac surgery. Within each of these major specialties there are some doctors who practice almost exclusively in the sub-specialty, but their numbers are not collected centrally.