HC Deb 02 March 1978 vol 945 cc393-4W
Mr. Patrick Jenkin

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the cut-backs in X-ray facilities in Norfolk hospitals due to shortage of resources.

Mr. Ennals

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 9th February 1978; Vol. 943, c. 671–2], gave the following answer:

The information given in my previous reply about the proportion of consultant radiologist posts in East Anglia, and the Norwich Health District in particular in relation to the national average was incorrect. At 301h September 1977, the establishment of consultant radiologist posts per 100,000 population in the East Anglia Regional Health Authority was almost exactly equal to the national average for England at 1.57. I am informed that the corresponding figure for Norfolk Area Health Authority is 1.16 consultant posts per 100,000, and that for Norwich Health District is .93.

My Department will be writing to regions shortly asking for details of the new consultant posts they wish to establish during the next financial year. East Anglia will then have the opportunity to request additional posts in radiology. Since allocations of new posts are made to regions, it is the regional staffing that is relevant, and there are several regions with lower staffing in the speciality than East Anglia and they will therefore have prior call on available posts.