§ Mr. John Townendasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue advice to health authorities that where they have to make savings they should do so by reducing the number of administrators and the manning levels of non-medical staff, which in many cases are excessive, rather than cutting medical staff and closing wards.
Mr. Patrick JenkinsHealth authorities are already aware of my views. In the debate on 17 July I asked authorities seeking to make savings to look first to headquarters staff and administrative services that do not contribute directly to the care of patients.—[Vol. 970, c. 1436.]