§ Lord WYNNE-JONESasked Her Majesty's Government:
If they will make a Statement about progress in the talks between Health Departments and the representatives of the medical and dental professions on a new consultant contract.
§ Lord WELLS-PESTELLThe Health Departments and representatives of the Central Committee for Hospital Medical Services have recently completed negotiations on the content of a new contract for hospital medical and dental consultants. The negotiations, which began a year ago, had their origin in proposals made by the profession for a form of contract which would more closely reflect variations in workload and responsibility between individuals and between specialties. The Government would see no objections in principle to the introduction of changes of this kind if they were acceptable to the consultant body as a whole. The Government have however been concerned throughout the negotiations to ensure that the interests of the NHS were fully protected in three important areas.
First, we have been determined to preserve the primacy of whole-time commitment to the Service. This is given special recognition in the present form of contract and is essential to the interests of the Service. Secondly, we have wanted to introduce provisions to assist recruitment to specialties and posts where there 349WA have been recruitment difficulties in the past. Thirdly, we have pressed for reforms in the distinction awards system for consultants, which would more clearly acknowledge outstanding service contributions, bring about more equitable distribution of awards between regions and specialties and modify the present confidentiality of the system. The Government are satisfied that these important objectives have now been achieved in the negotiations.
Accordingly, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services wrote yesterday to the representatives of the professions with a formal offer of 350WA contract on the terms which have been negotiated subject to their acceptance by the professions as a whole. My right honourable friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales joined with him in this offer. I have placed a copy of my right honourable friend's letter and of the terms of the offered contract in the Library of the House. I understand that the offer will be considered tomorrow at a meeting of the Central Committee for Hospital Medical Services, who will decide whether to recommend its terms to the profession as a whole.
House adjourned at fourteen minutes past eleven o'clock.