§ 20. Mr. Pavittasked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the inadequacy of the present arrangements to employ locum tenentes in general practice and the hospital services; and what steps he will take to improve the position.
§ The Minister of Health (Mr. Walker-Smith)I am aware that individual difficulties sometimes occur, but I am not clear that action by me would be appropriate.
§ Mr. PavittIn view of the fact that so many of these difficulties occur because of the failure to solve these problems at the local level, will the Minister give consideration to the introduction of a scheme for a national locums service, and further, will he consider the possibility of using the trainee assistants scheme in order to help in this respect? For example, if the trainees were given two months at the end of the normal training to do locums and enable them to obtain wider experience in general practice and also in hospitals that would help. Will he also consider the possibility of short refresher courses for consultants and specialists, so that they may come down into the arena of family doctoring, which might be beneficial to them and help the general practitioner in solving his problem of locums?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithOn the first of those three points, I doubt whether an organised service of the sort suggested would really meet the case, because there are so many and varied personal factors involved in these matters. On the second point, I should like to consider the suggestion which the hon. Gentleman is good enough to make. The third point, as he will be the first to appreciate, is very revolutionary in a professional service, and I think that, like Agag of old, I had better tread delicately.
§ Dr. SummerskillWhile not asking the Minister to commit himself now, will he reconsider his first answer? As he realises, the great majority of doctors today are employed by the State and find it very difficult to obtain a deputy in case of illness; in fact, there is no certainty that they can obtain a deputy. This also applies during holidays. We should at least equate doctors with civil servants so that deputies who can be relied upon are available. Perhaps the Minister will reconsider the whole matter?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI am always ready to consider further these matters, but I was giving my impression as it now stands. We should not exaggerate the difficulties about locums. In particular, we have to remember that there has been a considerable increase in the number both of general practitioners and hospital doctors overall. These difficulties have to be seen against that more satisfactory background.