§ Mr. NormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implications of extending the Working Time Directive to junior doctors(a) for medical workforce planning and (b) on their training; and if he will make a statement. [77505]
§ Mr. HuttonThe impact of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) has been taken into account with the planned expansion in the consultant workforce. The NHS Plan makes a commitment to 1,000 more specialist registrars by 2004. In addition, we have introduced a "floors and ceilings" flexibility to allow the National Health Service with an initial ceiling of an additional 540 posts for the period of 2002–2004 and this will reviewed later this year.
Many solutions to achieve EWTD compliance for junior doctors will involve other professions. Large increases in the nursing workforce and allied health professions have already been achieved and there is a commitment to maintain these levels of growth. These increases in the non-medical workforce will support the development of the non-medical practitioner roles
438WLancashire organisations that have participated in the recruitment are Trafford General Hospital NHS Trust, Stockport NHS Trust and Trafford Acute NHS Trust. The Department does not have information on numbers currently working in NHS hospitals.