§ Mrs. GormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that health authorities implement the new arrangements for junior doctors' hours as quickly as possible.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyTask forces have been set up throughout the country to assist regional, district and special health authorities and NHS trusts in ensuring that the contracted hours of duty of doctors in training are reduced to the agreed limits as soon as is practicable.
Task forces will be responsible for ensuring that every training post is identified, for ascertaining the current working practice of each training post and for identifying those in which the doctors are contracted for duty for hours in excess of the agreed limits. They will be expected to advise on ways of reducing contracted hours of duty, for monitoring progress in achieving the required reductions in hours and for reporting on progress at six-monthly intervals to the ministerial and technical groups.
§ Mrs. GormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to maintain downward pressure on junior doctors' hours.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe ministerial group on junior doctors' hours, which I chair, and its supporting technical group, will be monitoring progress on reducing the hours of duty of hospital doctors and dentists in training, through the implementation of the guidance issued on 12 June. A copy of the guidance has been placed in the Library.