§ Mr. Galbraithasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what changes in junior hospital staffing within the National Health Service are envisaged by the Joint Planning Advisory Committee arising from the proposals in the document "Achieving a Balance";
(2) what changes he proposes in junior hospital staffing in the National Health Service as a result of the proposals in the document "Achieving a Balance".
§ Mr. NewtonThe aims of "Achieving a Balance" are to improve patient care by removing the present imbalance in the hospital medical career structure. The package includes various measures to boost the number of consultants and to relate more closely the number of doctors in training grades to expected consultant opportunities. In determining the number of training grade posts needed, the Department will seek advice from the joint planning advisory committee which is already fulfilling this role for senior registrar posts. In most specialties there is likely to be a need to reduce the number of United Kingdom graduates now in the training grades, but their contribution to patient services will be replaced in other ways, for instance by additional consultant posts.