HC Deb 30 January 1979 vol 961 cc366-7W
25. Mr. Edwin Wainwright

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he proposes to take to assist the Trent regional health authority to improve its staffing rates for consultants in anaesthetics, radiology, mental illness, general medicine, and other important medical positions, which are currently the lowest in England and Wales.

Mr. Moyle

The Government have placed a high priority on reducing the disparity in health provision in different parts of the country and is committed to financial and manpower policies aimed at achieving this. Under the RAWP formula, Trent regional health authority will continue to have a higher than average rate of growth. In addition, my Department will continue to give priority to the authority's requests for additional consultant posts while medical recruitment will be helped by the recent establishment of two medical schools in the region.