Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee

HC Deb 21 January 1998 vol 304 cc595-6W

Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to implement the Campbell Report on medical manpower. [23365]

Mr. Milburn

The main recommendations of the Third Report of the Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee (MWSAC)—the Campbell report—are for the annual intake to UK medical schools to increase by 1,000, a 20 per cent. increase over the target of 4,970 for the year 2000, together with a range of measures to improve the recruitment and retention of doctors.

A number of MWSAC's recommendations coincides with the Government's own thinking and should be welcomed. But the recommendation on increased medical school intake has very significant implications, and will need careful examination.

The Government will announce their decisions on all MWSAC's recommendations in a few months' time in the light of the Comprehensive Spending Review.