§ 4. Mr. Croninasked the Minister of Health if he will take steps to have included in the syllabus of medical and dental students some elementary knowledge of the economics of the National Health Service and of the costs of treatment for which they will eventually be responsible.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI am considering a recommendation made in the Report of the Select Committee on Estimates on the Running Costs of Hospitals that I should 19 urge upon all medical and dental schools and teaching hospitals the inclusion of these subjects in the curricula.
§ Mr. CroninIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that this is very satisfactory news because, for all practical purposes, the doctors in the National Health Service have blank cheques to an almost unlimited extent on public funds? It would be very useful to have some increase in their awareness of their financial responsibilities.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopCan the Minister at least follow up the point about the advisability of dealing with the problem of prescribing through the curriculum, because this is a matter which so far has been missed out?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThe actual curriculum is the responsibility of the universities concerned. As the hon. Gentleman may know, the question of the cost of prescribing is under consideration by the Committee at present sitting under the chairmanship of Sir Henry Hinchliffe.