§ 29. Viscount VALENTIAasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that much indignation is felt by a considerable number of railway employés resident in the city of Oxford who are unable to avail themselves, under the provisions of the National Health Insurance Act and subsequent Regulations relating thereto, of the services of a doctor who has for years attended them, and who, though willing to go upon the panel in respect of these patients and having obtained the consent of the insurance committee to do so, is precluded by the intervention of the panel doctors, in spite of his frequent assurances that every insured person has a right to choose his own doctor; and will he take steps to provide for the services of the doctor hitherto employed by these men being made available for them?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI have made inquiries of the Oxford Insurance Committee on this case. As I stated in the House on 14th February, acceptance of a limited number of insured persons by a doctor on the panel is only possible where attendance by doctors on the panel is assured for all insured persons in the area, and therefore can only be granted by an insurance committee with the consent of the doctors on the panel. The responsibility for treatment of the insured persons must be a collective one, and no one doctor can be allowed to select good lives amongst insured persons with the same remuneration per head as those who accept a general average.
§ Viscount VALENTIAWill the hon. Gentleman, in view of the fact that the panel doctors have no objection to the doctor referred to in the question attending his old railway patients as long as he does not join the panel, instruct the local insurance committee to allow these insured persons to contract out in the exercise of the right promised to all insured persons that they may choose their own doctor?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI have no authority to do what the Noble Lord suggests. The Act of Parliament very definitely confers the discretion on the local insurance committee.
§ Viscount VALENTIAIs it not possible to give these railway men the doctor they wish to employ?
§ Mr. MASTERMANAll insured persons will be allowed their choice from the doctors allowed to serve under the Insurance Act.
§ Mr. WORTHINGTON EVANSMay I ask whether the hon Gentleman is aware that there cannot in this case be a question of choosing specially good lives, and whether, that being so, he cannot make some effort to give them the doctor they wish to employ?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe Insurance Committee must have the consent of the doctors on the panel before they can allow such contracting out.
§ 51. Mr. JOHN TAYLORasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that a certain number of insured persons connected with the Pelton Fell and other lodges of the Durham Miners' Association are desirous of changing their doctor; that, when they signed for their present doctors, it was on the understanding that it held good for three months only; and that objection is now taken by the Insurance Commissioners to the transfer on the ground that the present arrangements hold good for twelve months; and whether he will inquire into the matter with a view to the initial understanding being adhered to and the men being allowed to make the change of doctor desired?
§ Mr. MASTERMANMy attention has been drawn to the matter to which my hon. Friend refers, and I am investigating the circumstances referred to. In general, insured persons may change their doctors within the year either by consent of doctor 225 and patient or by consent of the insurance committee on complaint of the medical treatment received.
§ Mr. WILLIAM THORNEWhat can be done in the cases which have occurred where doctors have refused to transfer insured persons to another doctor?
§ Mr. MASTERMANAny complaint can be submitted to the insurance committee.
§ Mr. WINGIs it the fact that doctors ostentatiously said that they would only accept engagements for three months; and, if so, should not the same freedom be allowed to patients as to medical officers?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI know nothing about the circumstances, but I am sending down an inspector to investigate.