HC Deb 02 July 1948 vol 452 cc2469-72
Mr. Bossom

(by Private Notice) asked the Minister of Health whether, as the National Health Service comes into being on 5th July, he will state when the list of doctors in the Health Service, promised for 21st June or soon after, will be available in post offices and libraries, so that the public may choose their doctors before that date.

The Minister of Health (Mr. Aneurin Bevan)

I asked Executive Councils to get these lists into the post offices on or as soon as possible after the 21st June. Some of them have already done so, others, including London, have not yet succeeded, but will do so as soon as possible. Any member of the public in an area where the lists have not yet appeared can apply to the Executive Council for the names of doctors on the lists in his neighbourhood.

Mr. Bossom

Is the Minister aware that, in an endeavour to find out doctors on the lists, I first went to a post office, where I was told to telephone to the Ministry, which I did, and I received the answer which the Minister has just given? I then went to another post office, and there I was told to go to a library and look up the Medical Register. I found the first three names on the list, and went to those addresses. The first one was a bombed site, and the other two men had gone away. This is a serious situation. Cannot the Minister give the country any information as to when the public are to get these names?

Mr. Bevan

Of course, I always expected that, as a consequence of the tardiness of many of the doctors to sign up on these lists, there would be inconvenience after 5th July. The House will recollect that the official propaganda of the profession itself told the doctors that there was no hurry to sign up, and the result is that we have had a large rush of doctors in the last few days, making it quite impassible for Executive Councils to put up complete lists in time.

Furthermore, many of the local medical committees of the profession have asked the Executive Councils not to put up incomplete lists, because they said it would be unfair to those doctors who had not yet signed up, so that, in some instances, in fact, in many cases, it is entirely in consequence of the conduct of the official propaganda by the medical profession, for which I refuse to accept the slightest responsibility. The House will recollect that I myself issued leaflets urging the profession and the public to sign up.

May I say this in conclusion? The hon. Member has had some difficulty, but about 7,500,000 had already entered up on the doctors' lists up to 26th June, and, as the House knows, 20 million on the panels are automatically transferred. That means that, up to 26th June, 27,500,000 people were already on the panels.

Mr. Assheton

I am sorry that the Minister has seen fit to put the blame entirely on the doctors, which we, on this side of the House, certainly cannot accept. May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he can indicate to the House, so that the public may know, where communications may be addressed to these Executive Councils about which he spoke?

Mr. Bevan

The names and addresses of the Executive Councils are put up in the post offices and in some cases in the public libraries. Part of the difficulty in London is that some 1,500 general practitioners have to be classified for their particular areas. Obviously, putting up 1,500 names in one list is of no use to anybody at all.

Major Tufton Beamish

Is it not absolutely unfair to put the whole blame for the delay on the doctors, than whom there is no more public-spirited body in the whole country? [Interruption.] Certainly. Is not the whole cause the Minister's own intense obstinacy in conducting the negotiations?

Mr. Bevan

I put no blame on individual doctors. I do, however, say that this situation could be expected when the profession's own propaganda completely clashed with the instructions given by the Ministry of Health.

Mr. Ronald Chamberlain

As there is a good deal of confusion in the minds of the public, will my right hon. Friend consider making some short, clear statement on the wireless to guide people?

Mr. Bevan

The position is already perfectly clear, and the public understands it very well. In the course of the next week, the lists will appear in the post offices, and in some libraries, and the public will be able to enter their names on the lists. I would like to make it quite clear here that it is absolutely essential for the doctor himself to be in the list before 5th July, but the public can join at any time afterwards.

Mr. Bossom

Is the Minister aware that on 25th March I indicated in a written Question to him that this situation would arise, and the answer he gave me was: I cannot accept the assumption underlying the Question."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 25th March, 1948: Vol. 448, c. 347.] The situation which I then anticipated has arisen, and the Minister has done nothing about it.

Mr. Bevan

I cannot recollect what the hon. Gentleman assumed at that time. All I know is that I was perfectly well aware, and the House was perfectly well aware, that if the doctors did delay in entering their names on the list the public would be inconvenienced.

Mr. Gallacher

I think the general opinion of most people is that the Minister has been, if anything, over-generous and considerate to the doctors. I would only ask him, while I do not want to digress, that he might show the same consideration to the Scottish chemists from whom I have received about a thousand telegrams.

Mr. Speaker

We are getting pretty wide now. We had better get on with Business.

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