§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will undertake an inquiry to establish the extent to which NHS consultants are not fulfilling their NHS contracts. [39333]
§ Mr. MilburnWe do not believe that an inquiry would serve a useful purpose. The evidence is that the vast majority of National Health Service consultants make a full and welcome contribution to patient care. NHS managers should take action locally where they believe that an individual consultant is not meeting NHS commitments under the terms of his or her contract.