§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the paediatric consultant availability (a) in maternity units and (b) in reasonably close proximity to maternity units for each area health authority; if he will indicate any shortfall; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. VaughanI shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he has taken to improve the paediatric consultancy provision for neonates.
§ Dr. VaughanRequests for any new consultant posts in a specialty in a particular part of the country originate from the health authorities. I have sent them copies of the Government's reply to the second report from the Social Services Committee for the 1979–80 Session and asked them to consider the recommendations and give priority to those which would contribute most to the improvement of the service in their area. In "Care in Action", the review of the Government's main priorities for the health and personal social services, recently published, we have also drawn the recommendations of the Select Committee to the attention of health authorities.