HC Deb 26 April 1976 vol 910 c43W
Mrs. Chalker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the increase in the successful application of non-British trained graduates to consultant posts in the last (a)10 years and (b)five years.)

Dr. Owen

Information in this form is not available. At 30th September 1970 the number of medical consultants in post in Great Britain who were born in countries other than the United Kingdom or the Irish Republic was 1,286; this represented 11.5 per cent. of all consultants. The corresponding figure in 1975 was 1,755 or 13.3 per cent. Comparable figures for 1965 are not available.

Mrs. Chalker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total number of unfilled consultant posts in Great Britain at the latest date for which figures are available; how many are being filled; and how many health authorities do not wish to fill the vacant posts;

(2) how many consultant posts in Great Britain there are where recruitment is proving difficult; and what is the total number advertised for more than three months.

Dr. Owen

In England and Wales the number of consultant posts not occupied by a permanent holder at 30th September 1975 was 728, of which 327 were in the process of being filled. Information about which posts health authorities do not wish to fill is not available, but 281 of the posts had not been advertised in the previous year. Of these 281, 53 had been vacant less than six months and 197 had been vacant for more than a year. There were 120 cases where the appointments committee had met but there had been no suitable candidate. The number of posts advertised for more than three months is not available.