HC Deb 12 May 1948 vol 450 cc2119-21
59. Sir John Mellor

asked the Minister of Health why his pamphlet on the new National Health Service contains a para- graph headed "Choose your doctor now," in view of the inability of executive councils to supply a choice of doctors as promised in the pamphlet.

The Minister of Health (Mr. Aneurin Bevan)

I need hardly say that a scheme of this magnitude involves an enormous amount of detailed organisation in the background, and if both doctor and patient are to be able to take advantage of the new arrangements as from 5th July it is essential that they help us to make an early start. In view of the increasing number of doctors applying to participate in the Service, executive councils should soon have no difficulty in putting in touch with such doctors patients who cannot find one themselves.

Sir J. Mellor

Is not this paragraph at the present time completely meaningless, and is the Minister aware that the London Executive Council are advising inquirers to call again in a month's time, when they anticipate that the difficulties will be removed? Does the right hon. Gentleman share that view?

Mr. Bevan

I will make inquiries at once to find out whether the London Executive Council is giving that advice, but I am fairly certain that it is untrue, and that the hon. Gentleman is misinformed about it. At any rate, I think that all Members of this House are now anxious that we should facilitate the starting of this Act on 5th July, and I hope that hon. Gentlemen opposite will be as helpful in this matter as other people are trying to be.

Mr. Assheton

Does the right hon. Gentleman know that, whereas some of the propaganda put forward by his Department advises the public that there will be lists of doctors found in the post offices, in fact, they cannot be found there at present?

Mr. Bevan

There will be lists in the post offices and in the town halls as the lists are filled up by the doctors who are applying to join the service. There is obviously some delay among certain doctors at the present time, but they are participating in larger and larger numbers. Indeed, it is to the financial interest of the doctors to get these lists filled up as early as possible.

Mr. Assheton

The lists are not now in the post offices, and can we be assured that they will be in the post offices?

Mr. Bevan

As soon as the doctors have indicated their intention of participating in the service their names will be put in the various places indicated in the leaflet. We must have the support of the public and medical profession unless great inconvenience is to be caused to millions of people.

Mr. Driberg

Is my right hon. Friend aware that public spirited doctors in many places such as Maldon, Essex, have already made public their intention of coming in to help operate this great service, and the only difficulty is that the supply of actual application forms keeps on running out at the post offices because of the enthusiasm of the public?

Mr. Bevan

I am very glad to hear of it, and I will see to it that the supplies of leaflets march with the mounting enthusiasm.

Squadron-Leader Fleming

Ought it not to be made clear to the public that when the Minister speaks of people choosing their own doctor, he is referring to general practitioners and not to specialists?

Mr. Bevan

That is made perfectly clear in the leaflet itself. We are speaking all the while about the general practitioners and not about specialists and consultants, who are attached to the regional boards and teaching hospitals.