HC Deb 23 November 1999 vol 339 cc94-5W
34. Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase the number of specialists in cardiology. [98959]

Mr. Denham

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health confirmed recently we anticipate an additional 330 cardiology consultants and 80 extra consultants in cardio-thoracic surgery working in the National Health Service by 2005.

The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease will be published shortly. This will reinforce the priority we attach to tackling coronary heart disease and set the service context within which cardiologists will work.