§ Miss Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total amount of public funds paid out in consultant merit awards; what is the distribution of the awards, both by region and to teaching as against non-teaching hospitals; what are the names of the recipients with their respective awards; and what are the criteria used in making the awards.
§ Mr. MoyleTotal expenditure on distinction awards in England and Wales is currently about £12 million a year. The detailed criteria used in making416W awards are a matter for the Advisory Committee on Distinction awards, under the Chairmanship of Sir Stanley Clayton, working within its general remit that awards are for professional distinction and, particularly at the lower levels of awards, outstanding service contributions to the NHS. The names of distinction award holders are not published at present, but I am discussing this and other aspects of the scheme with the representatives of the medical profession.
The tables below set out the distribution of distinction awards by NHS regions and between teaching and non-teaching authorities at 31st December 1976, the latest date for which comprehensive information is available.
DISTRIBUTION OF DISTINCTION AWARDS BY NHS REGIONS AT 31ST DECEMBER 1976—ENGLAND AND WALE Region Percentage of consultants and community physicians in Region who hold an award Northern … 32.3 Yorkshire … 32.0 Trent … 32.5 EastAnglia … 33.0 Wessex … 30.5 Oxford … 35.1 Southwestern … 32.8 West Midlands … 32.7 Mersey … 33.2 North Western … 31.2 Wales … 32.1 All Thames Regions … 31.0
DISTRIBUTION OF DISTINCTION AWARDS BETWEEN TEACHING AND NON-TEACHING EMPLOYING AUTHORITIES AT 31ST DECEMBER 1976—ENGLAND AND WALE Type of Authority Holding Contract Percentage of consultants and community physicians employed who hold an award Teaching 44.0 Non-teaching 27.1 Joint contract with Teaching and non-teaching 43.2