§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to the answer of 22 April, Official Report, column 135, to the hon. Member for Mid-Staffordshire about the pilot scheme for the introduction of a computer bed bank in the West Midlands regional health authority, if he will indicate (a) when his Department first conveyed its decision to introduce the scheme to the West Midlands regional health authority, (b) when precisely the project co-ordinator was appointed, (c) what were the terms of the project co-ordinator's appointment, (d) what are the qualifications and experience of the project co-ordinator, (e) when doctors in the participating districts were first requested to provide relevant information, (f) the names of the 100 selected practitioners and (g) the names of the selected districts.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe possibility of a pilot project was first raised with the region in a letter in April 1982. Interviews for the post of project co-ordinator were held in February 1985 and the successful candidate took up her post in April 1985. I understand that all districts in the region, with the exception of Rugby, will participate in the project by providing information on waiting times. The selected general practitioners are located in the following districts: north Staffordshire, Mid-Staffordshire, east Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Herefordshire, Kidderminster, Sandwell. Dudley, west Birmingham, Worcestershire, central Birmingham and Shropshire.
My hon. Friend may wish to write direct to the chairman of the regional health authority for the further information he requires on the project and its co-ordinator.