HC Deb 12 July 1976 vol 915 cc69-70W
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of his reply to Questions on Health Services Bill (staff) Official Report, Monday 5th July, c. 443, if he will give an assurance that junior medical staff and laboratory technical staff, at present paid from funds obtained from the private practice of academic medical staff, will be taken into employment by the NHS when funds from private practice cease to be available.

Mr. Ennals

As I explained in my reply on 5th July, I have no reason to suppose that the progressive separation of pay beds from NHS hospitals will lead to unemployment of health service personnel. There are NHS vacancies for laboratory technical staff, and unemployment of medical practitioners generally is extremely small and at any given time there are a number of vacancies in the hospital service nationally.—[Vol. 914, c. 443.]