§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to introduce new consultant, 675W senior registrar or other senior posts in general surgery, ear, nose and throat, traumatic and orthopaedic and gynaecology, where the waiting lists are urgent.
§ Mr. NewtonGovernment policy is that new consultant posts should be set up to meet the needs of patient care as determined by health authorities in the light of the Government's broad priorities. Currently consultant expansion is averaging 2 per cent. per annum over all specialties. In addition, the Government are funding centrally 100 new posts targeted on specialties with particular problems of structural imbalance, including general surgery and traumatic and orthopaedic surgery.