§ Lord AYLESTONEasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many family practitioners have practices in excess of 3,500 patients; and what figure is regarded as the top limit.
§ Lord WELLS-PESTELLThe maximum number of National Health Service patients a family doctor is allowed by regulation is 3,500. If he practises in a partnership he may have up to 4,500 provided the average for each member of the partnership does not exceed 3,500.
Because of such circumstances as the death or retirement of a partner the number of patients in a practice may sometimes exceed the prescribed maximum. Provided another partner or assistant is being sought and no new patients, other than the children of existing patients, are taken, the extra patients may, with the consent of the Family Practitioner Committee, be retained for a limited period. In certain other special circumstances additional patients may be retained with the consent of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. Doctors with an excess number of patients are required to reduce their lists by taking a partner, engaging an assistant or by having patients removed from their list.
During the quarter ending 30th June 1977, my right honourable friend consented to eight family doctors retaining more than 3,500 patients for a limited period. No records are kept centrally of the number of consents given by Family Practitioner Committees.