§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has on the effect on the National Health Service of clinical academic staff posts remaining vacant because of a lack of suitable applicants.
§ Mr. HayhoeWhile I am aware of recent reports of such difficulties in recruitment I have no current evidence of significant failure to maintain National Health Service patient services associated with these difficulties.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the role of clinical academic staff in the provision of patient care in the National Health Service.
§ Mr. HayhoeClinical academics make a welcome contribution to patient care just as National Health Service doctors contribute to the teaching of medical schools, with mutual benefit.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of patient care is carried out by clinical academic staff in the acute services in teaching districts and in the specialty of pathology.
§ Mr. HayhoeI regret that information in the form requested is not available. We estimate National Health Service honorary medical staff, who are mainly clinical academics, are about 4 per cent. of the overall total and about 15 per cent. in pathology. (Both percentages are whole-time equivalent.) The proportions would be higher in teaching districts.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what representations he has received about maintaining parity of salaries between university clinical staff and their National Health Service colleagues;
(2) what representations he has received from clinical academic staff about the non-implementation of their 1985 salary increase.
§ Mr. BrookeI have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend has received representations on these matters from hon. Members, from the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals, the Association of University Teachers and the British Medical Association, and from individual members of university clinical staff.