§ Mr. AmessTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects that the consultant's contract will be implemented. [157139]
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§ Mr. HuttonFollowing the agreement reached last year with the British Medical Association and the NHS Confederation, National Health Service trusts and other employing organisations were asked to use the new NHS consultants' contract for all new appointments advertised after 31 October 2003 and give all existing consultants the opportunity to indicate by 31 October 2003 whether they wished to give a commitment to the new contract.
We expect that the great majority of consultants who have given a commitment to the new contract will have agreed job plans by 31 March 2004. Where, exceptionally, there are any consultants whose job plans have taken longer to complete than other consultants, NHS trusts and other employing organisations have been asked to agree arrangements with their strategic health authority to complete the process as early as possible in the new financial year.