§ MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)To ask the Postmaster-General whether instructions have been issued to the effect that Post Office officials of certain ranks who may receive sick certificates from a certain duly qualified private medical practitioner in the north-western district of London shall be allowed sick leave 1109 but no pay; will he say whether this medical officer had any charge preferred against him in which he was given an opportunity of defending himself; if not, will he say why these instructions have been issued; and, seeing that the Post Office Medical officers have frequently been in conflict with private medical practitioners on the question of sick leave of Post Office officials, and that several cases of death have occurred in which these official medical officers have refused sick leave shortly preceding such deaths, will he now grant an inquiry into this subject.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The acceptance of private medical certificates in justification of sick leave is in the nature of a concession to the Post Office staff, for whom competent medical attendance is provided at the expense of the State. It is obvious that this concession must be subject to certain restrictions and limitations if a proper check is to be maintained upon the sick absence of the staff. Circumstances came to my notice which threw doubt upon the reliability of the certificates issued by the doctor to whom the hon. Member is understood to refer, and I felt it right to lay down that such certificates should not be taken in future as conferring a title to sick pay. The doctor was given an opportunity of explaining the circumstances. I see no reason for granting an inquiry into the subject.