§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) to what extent the closure of emergency and accident departments in hospitals is due to a shortage of young doctors; and whether he is satisfied that the pay and condition for doctors working in such departments is adequate;
(2) how many hospital accident and emergency departments have had to close due to a shortage of doctors in the last year apart from Tynemouth; whether he expects further closures to take place; and what steps are being taken to ensure an adequate supply of doctors for this work in the future.
§ Dr. VaughanResponsibility for the provision of accident and emergency departments rests with the health authorities concerned and information is not held centrally about the numbers of such departments which have had to close. I regret that on occasions temporary closures of these departments are necessary for a number of reasons, which includes a shortage of doctors.
The medical school expansion programme has been designed to improve the supply of doctors overall and this should 54W help recruitment to shortage specialties including accident and emergency. In addition, my Department is encouraging regions to create additional senior registrar posts in this specialty to help increase the supply of fully trained doctors.
The pay of such junior doctors, as of doctors and dentists generally, is the subject of recommendations by the independent Review Body on Doctors and Dentists Remuneration. Their conditions of service are negotiated between the Health Departments and the representatives of the professions who are currently considering a proposal from us to survey the work of junior doctors generally outside the standard working week.
§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the accident and emergency department at the Tynemouth infirmary has had to be closed; how many patients attended the department during the last year; how far from Tynemouth patients must travel to attend an alternative accident and emergency department; what effect the closure will have on the ambulance service: and what steps are being taken to reopen the department.
§ Dr. VaughanThis temporary closure is due to a shortage of junior medical staff. In the 12 months ending 31 December 1978, attendances totalled 41,070. Arrangements—including additional ambulance cover—are being made for the majority of patients needing attention at a hospital accident and emergency department to be referred to the Royal Victoria infirmary, Newcastle, some nine miles away; the remaining patients may go either to Ashington hospital or Ingham infirmary, some 18 and 11 miles respectively from Tynemouth. I understand that an appointment has been made to fill one of the vacant junior medical posts at Tynemouth infirmary, and the health authorities concerned are giving the matter their urgent attention with a view to reopening the Tynemouth department as soon as possible.