§ 80. Mr. NEWMANasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether two medical practitioners named William and Harry Groom have been invited by the Wisbech Insurance Committee to engage a number of assistants to form a panel of practitioners to work the Wisbech area; whether the two practitioners named are brothers residing in the same house; whether the professional qualifications and salaries of the assistants to be 1677 engaged is left to their discretion; and whether he will state the number of practitioners required to complete the panel?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe Isle of Ely Insurance Committee has reported that the panel is adequate to provide medical attendance for insured persons throughout their area except in the districts of Wisbech and Chatteris. In order that medical attendance may be provided for insured persons in these two districts they further invited all the practitioners in the neighbourhood to accept service under the Act, with an intimation that if they declined other alternative arrangements would have to be made with the doctors who had accepted service. The Commissioners are awaiting a further report from the committee as to the exact position, and until that report has been received I am unable to answer the last part of the question. It will be necessary that any assistants utilised by doctors on the panel shall be duly qualified medical practitioners.
§ Mr. NEWMANWho is to give an opinion that these assistants will be fully qualified practitioners?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI do not think there is any doubt as to whether a certain man is or is not a duly qualified practitioner; if he is, he has a light to have his name on the panel.
§ Mr. JOHN WARDIs there any way by which the insurance committees can decide upon the recompense that the assistants will receive from the medical men who employ them?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI am not sure what the arrangements are. If the assistants are on the panel in the ordinary way they will be selected in the ordinary way by the insured persons for treatment.
§ Mr. JOHN WARDHas the right hon. Gentleman any authority over or knowledge of an advertisement which appeared in the "Daily Telegraph" on 1st January, 1913, as follows: "Wanted, clerk (male); 18 to 20 years; shorthand, typewriting, and knowledge of book-keeping; salary, 18s.—Apply, by letter only, Medical Secretary, British Medical Association, 42, Strand, W.C."?
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSIs it not necessary for the doctors' assistants who are to treat insured persons to be on the panel?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThat depends upon the arrangement. If the panel is abolished there will be no panel for them to be put on. If the panel is maintained, then, I think, they have to be on the panel.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSIn a case where the panel is considered adequate, will it be necessary for any assistant who treats an insured person to be on the panel?
§ Mr. MASTERMANPerhaps the hon. Member will give me notice of that?