§ 26. Sir Leonard Lyleasked the Minister of Health whether, in case of any shortage of doctors to meet the requirements of a State health insurance scheme applicable to everybody, it is proposed to remove any limit on the number of panel patients registered with a medical man, or to use compulsion to bring in a sufficient quota of doctors.
§ Mr. WillinkIt is not proposed to compel any doctor to take any part in the new service. The question of appropriate limits to the number of patients whose care a doctor should be able to undertake within the service is one which will need to be considered fully with the medical profession when the proper time comes.
§ Sir L. LyleIs it not obvious that there will have to be more doctors under this scheme?
§ Mr. WillinkNo, Sir, it is not quite obvious; opinions may differ on that point, but I think there is little realisation of the very great increase in the number of doctors over the last 20 years.
§ Mr. GallacherMay I ask the Minister whether, in view of the fact that there is compulsion of the lads into the Army and into the pits, we cannot compel doctors to go from a district where there is very little illness into a district where there is very serious illness?
§ Mr. WillinkI think most of my hon. Friends take a different view of compulsion in war and in peace.