§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many qualified speech therapists were employed by(a) each health authority and (b) each local education authority in Wales in each of the past five years; what are the latest figures; and how many vacancies there were for speech therapists in each of these categories at the most recent available date.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesThe whole-time equivalent numbers of speech therapists directly employed by the NHS, who would also treat school children, is given in the table. Information is not held centrally on the number of speech therapists directly employed by local education authorities.
and also administrative and clerical staff at September 1993 levels for three years and to seek reductions wherever possible.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has issued to Welsh health authorities in relation to(a) the filling of administrative and clerical vacancies and (b) the creation of new administrative and clerical vacancies; if he will publish that guidance; to what extent such guidance is applicable to NHS trusts; what consultations he has had with the Institute of Health Service Management in regard to that guidance; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesThe director of the national health service in Wales has written to all health authorities asking them to submit, for approval, proposals for filling vacancies or the creation of new jobs in managerial and administrative and clerical grades. No consultation has taken place with the Institute of Health Service Management. Health authorities and NHS trusts generally will be ensuring that staff in these categories do not increase and wherever possible are reduced so that extra resources can be directed to patient care.
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