§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to increase the number of consultant obstetricians by at least 150 in order to ensure that all large hospital obstetric units, particularly isolated ones, have at least two obstetricians, in order to assist in lowering perinatal mortality rates.
§ Sir George YoungCmnd. 8084 set out the Government's view that it is for health authorities to consider the need for an increase in the number of consultant posts in obstetrics and gynaecology, and in health circular (80)13 we drew the attention of authorities to the social services committee's recommendation for a 50 per cent. expansion in this grade. There are sufficient doctors in training grades in the specialty to fill posts that might be created and I welcome the contribution that the creation of additional consultant posts would make to redressing the present imbalance between training and career grade posts in this, and other, specialties.