§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new neurosurgical consultancy posts are predicted for each of the next five years. [167065]
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§ Mr. HuttonThe Department does not have figures for planned numbers of posts.
If the number of specialist registrars in neurosurgery who are due to qualify in the next five years is taken into account, along with the likely levels of retirement and other recruitment and retention factors, it is expected that there would be sufficient trained specialists in neurosurgery to increase consultant numbers by around a quarter by 2008.
§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the latest average time between the award of a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training and appointment as a consultant for neurosurgical trainees is. [167066]
§ Mr. HuttonThis information is not collected centrally.