HL Deb 27 April 1999 vol 600 cc24-5WA
Earl Attlee

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many medical posts of consultant status are established in the Armed Forces for:

  1. (a) anaesthetists;
  2. (b) Orthopaedic surgeons;
  3. (c) accident and emergency; and
  4. (d) burns and plastics;
and, of these, how many are filled by officers who are medically graded "FE" (forward everywhere) of "LE" (line of communication, everywhere) and are otherwise available for deployment on operations. [HL1992]

The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Gilbert)

The number of medical posts of consultant status and of those eligible to be deployed on military operations at 1 March 1999 for the following specialties are:

Number of Posts Number Deployable
Anaesthetists 130 31
Orthopaedic Surgeons 29 13
Accident & Emergency 23 3
Burns & Plastics 10 2

The number of consultant posts, based on the Strategic Defence Review, is still being finalised and includes those posts required to undertake continuing tasks at home establishments. Additionally, on military operations vacant consultant posts can be filled by specialist registrars who are within two years of becoming accredited consultants.