§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received from(a) health boards and (b) NHS trusts about difficulties in the recruitment and selection of consultants and other hospital-based medical practitioners in (a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland; which specialist areas have the greatest problems on such recruitment and selection; and if he will make a statement. [24866]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 22 May 1995]: We are aware of the difficulties of NHS trusts in recruitment of senior house officers, particularly in accident and emergency medicine and in paediatrics, and 574W of consultants. NHS trusts last year reported 120 consultant vacancies with the largest numbers in anaesthetics and general psychiatry. To increase the number of candidates for consultant posts, the establishment of senior registrars in Scotland this year has been increased from 473 to 500. Increases have been made in anaesthetics, general medicine, medical paediatrics, diagnostic radiology, ear, nose and throat surgery, ophthalmology, orthopaedic surgery and urology.