§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she is taking to improve morale among junior doctors.
§ Dr. Mawhinney"Junior Doctors: The New Deal", copies of which are available in the Library, sets out a range of measures designed to benefit junior doctors. These include targets for reducing hours of work; the introduction of new, more flexible, working patterns; approaches to reducing the amount of inappropriate work undertaken by junior staff; and recommendations on standards for residential accommodation. This year we are spending some £37 million from central funds in support of the new deal.
We believe that the new deal, together with the continued increase in consultant numbers, which provides improved career opportunities for junior 'doctors, demonstrates our commitment to improving their living and working conditions to the benefit of patient care.