§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received alleging difficulties in recruiting hospital consultants in(a) anaesthetics, (b) accident and emergency, (c) ophthalmology, (d) paediatrics and (e) other specialties.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe Department of Health has received representations regarding recruitment of hospital80W consultants in anaesthetics and paediatrics. No specific concerns have been raised relating to recruitment in the accident and emergency area.
In ophthalmology there are a number of senior registrars available to take up consultant appointments, but who, for personal reasons, are not submitting applications for posts.
In paediatrics, concern regarding shortages of suitably qualified doctors available to take up consultant appointments is known to the Department. The British Paediatric Association has met separately with the then chief executive of the national health service management executive and me to express their concerns. Steps are being taken to alleviate these problems. Regions have indicated to the Department that they expect to fund the additional senior registrar posts they were allocated by the Joint Planning Advisory Committee after the 1992 review within the required time scale of March 1995 at the latest. The increased throughput of higher specialist trainees following the implementation of the Report of the Working Group on Specialist Medical Training, "Hospital Doctors: Training for the Future" should also be of assistance in making suitable candidates available to take up consultant appointments.
In anaesthetics, a similar situation exists. The Department is fully aware of the Royal College of Anaesthetists' concerns over the availability of suitably trained candidates for consultant posts. Again, positive steps have been taken by the NHS executive to respond to these issues, including the introduction of innovative mechanisms to increase the number of doctors in training in the specialty. As with paediatrics, regions have indicated that they expect to be able to establish all senior registrar posts allocated to them within the required time scale, in this case of March 1996.
Employing bodies may experience difficulties in recruiting consultants for a range of reasons. These include the nature of the post, its geographical location and the facilities offered at the hospital concerned.