HC Deb 02 October 1941 vol 374 c700
26. Miss Eleanor Rathbone

asked the Minister of Health whether, as many general practitioners, especially in neutral and reception areas, are seriously overworked owing to the calling up of their medical colleagues yet are debarred from securing the assistance of alien doctors in their private practices, he will consider changing the regulations to permit alien doctors, who have been accepted for the War Emergency Register, to engage in private practice under such conditions as may be thought necessary to protect British doctors, such as the limitation of the permit to the duration of the war, and, if necessary, the restriction of the permit to doctors required to work as assistants to, or partners of, British doctors?

Mr. E. Brown

Under a recent Order of which I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend, an alien doctor who fulfils the other necessary conditions may be placed temporarily on the Medical Register if he is to be employed as an assistant to a British doctor in private practice. The employment is in each case subject to the approval of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

Miss Rathbone

Will the right hon. Gentleman say what steps should be taken by a doctor who wishes to secure the services of an alien doctor?

Mr. Brown

He would take the normal steps which are suitable to the profession, but if he was in doubt, he might write to me.

Sir F. Fremantle

Is it not true that the Central Medical War Committee undertake these arrangements if they are passed to them?

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