HC Deb 25 October 1960 vol 627 cc2223-5

Further Lords Amendments agreed to: In page 14, line 25, leave out "persons" and insert "registered medical practitioners";

In line 27, leave out "persons" and insert "registered medical practitioners";

In line 29, leave out "person" and insert "registered medical practitioner".

Lords Amendment: In page 17, line 8, at end insert: . Before the English Colleges or the Scottish Corporations nominate a person for appointment as a member of a board in pursuance of paragraph (b) of sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 4 above, they shall consult such body or bodies (if any) as they consider appropriate in relation to that nomination, being a body or bodies appearing to them to represent medical practitioners specialising in a field with which the board will be concerned.

Miss Pitt

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

The Amendment is designed to ensure that, before nominating any person for membership of a board, the English Colleges and the Scottish Corporations shall consult such specialised medical bodies as they consider appropriate. The Bill provides that the great majority of medical members of boards shall be nominated by the English Royal Colleges and the Scottish Corporations. It is based upon a scheme negotiated with the representatives of the supplementary professions and the Joint Consultants Committee, but the Bill says nothing about the procedure for nominating.

Because some anxiety has been expressed, notably by the radiographers—hon. Members will be aware of this, because I have received a number of letters from them on behalf of constituents—it has been decided that "medical practitioners" might not be fully representative. We hope that the Amendment will relieve any doubt.

It has been made of general application. It will cover all the professions, not just radiographers, because there will be other consultants with special interest in the work of particular boards. It was always considered that the English Colleges and the Scottish Corporations, with their great prestige and wide views, were the right bodies for nominating, but it is clearly desirable that they should consult the specialist bodies.

We have always assumed that they will do so, and the Government are sure that that view is correct, but we are conscious of the importance of making sure that specialist opinion is not overlooked in making the nominations. The, Amendment therefore ensures this object. It preserves the principle that the ultimate responsibility rests with the English Colleges and the Scottish Corporations, but it provides for consultation, and, therefore, secures both objects. I hope that the House will accept it.

Dr. Barnett Stross (Stoke-on-Trent, Central)

The Parliamentary Secretary used the word "radiographers" in association with consultant status. I assume that she meant "radiologists". Am I right in assuming that those who will be appointed by the Colleges will be medical practitioners, namely, radiologists? They will not be radiographers.

Miss Pitt indicated assent.

Dr. Stross

I understand the difficulties of the medical profession and its members' desire that they should have their representation fully safeguarded. I do not propose to go into a debate on this, because we have debated it very fully. The hon. Lady and my right hon. Friend pointed out that we were dealing with ethics and education rather than with any therapeutic aspect of medicine and that there was no need for the medical profession to have any fears on this issue.

Both sides of the House felt very strongly about this, and the hon. Member for Putney (Sir H. Linstead) made clear his opinion that any disturbance of the way in which these groups are listed in this Bill would be catastrophic. I assume that all we are doing is underwriting what we originally put in the Bill. If that is all, I am content, and would only say that I am sorry that anyone should have felt it necessary that Amendments should have been brought forward. They are not really necessary.

I think that everyone here who is interested in the Bill and in the profession knows quite well that the spirit of the Bill would never have been breached. Nevertheless, here it is, and, if it is a form of words that is needed, I would not disagree.

Question put and agreed to.