HC Deb 01 July 1993 vol 227 c614W
Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the total number of casualty consultants and casualties in the latest available year; and what is her Department's guidance on the number of casualty consultants needed nationally or per casualty.

Mr. Sackville

The total number of consultants in accident and emergency—A and E—departments in England at 30 September 1991 was 219 (216.4 whole-time equivalents). During the year ended 31 March 1992 there were 10,978,000 new attendances in A and E departments. Not all A and E departments are led by A and E consultants; some are led by consultants in orthopaedics, others by consultants in surgery.

We do not issue guidance on the number of consultants in A and E needed nationally or per casualty. It is a matter for each employing authority to determine the number of consultants needed in its A and E departments in the light of local needs.

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