Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government when changes to the National Health Service (Appointment of Consultants) Regulations 1996 will be consulted on; and when these regulations will be amended to include all medical Royal Colleges.

The National Health Service (Appointment of Consultants) Regulations 1996 do not prevent NHS trusts from seeking alternative members to contribute to the process of appointing consultants. The Regulations do provide discretion to involve these Royal Colleges where appropriate and do not apply to foundation trusts, which comprise the majority of trusts.

We are considering the merits of amending the Regulations to include additional Colleges and will provide further details in due course.