§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to overcome the shortage of speech therapists in Wales.
§ Mr. GristSpeech therapy requirements have been examined in the context of the annual manpower resource planning exercise undertaken by the Health Service in Wales in 1988 and 1989. The purpose of the exercise, initiated by the manpower steering group established by the Department in 1986, is to identify future manpower requirements and enable action to be taken to meet these requirements at the all-Wales level.
The report of the 1988 manpower resource planning exercise recommended an increase in speech therapy provision within Wales. This is being considered within the context of the provision of education and training within the NHS in Wales generally and taking into account the results of the 1989 manpower resource plans (a report of which will be available early next year), the implications of the proposals contained in the White Paper "Working for Patients" and the recommendations contained in the report of a review of the role of the combined training institute at Cardiff.