§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was, by specialty and by district, the number of female consultants holding posts in the National Health Service at the end of 1982;
(2) what was, by specialty, by district and by grade, the number of female doctors in post in the National Health Service at the end of 1982.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeInformation broken down by district and by specialty is not available centrally for the consultant and senior registrar grades, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost for the more junior grades.
§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what specific arrangements are made by district health authorities to enable women to be seen by women doctors in all specialties (a) within their district and (b) elsewhere;
(2) what opportunities women are given to see a female surgeon in their district, if they so choose; and what opportunities for referral to a female surgeon exist in those district health authorities which do not employ female surgical staff.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeOur policy is that all health authorities should do what they can to ensure that women who request it will be treated by women doctors whenever this is possible and, so far as we are aware, that is the practice of authorities. We do not collect centrally detailed information about specific local arrangements of this kind.