§ 50. Mr. Hattersleyasked the Minister of Health if he is aware that those Birmingham doctors who were recently appointed to fill general practice vacancies occasioned by resignations from the National Health Service are being victimised by a minority of their professional colleagues; and if he will seek 1682 powers to protect doctors from such victimisation.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonI would strongly deplore any victimisation but I do not think that legislation would be either appropriate or effective.
§ Mr. HattersleyCan my right hon. Friend say whether he has had any request for assistance from the local health executive council corporately or from its members individually and what he has been able to answer to those requests?
§ Mr. RobinsonI think that my hon. Friend is referring to reports about the difficulty of establishing a health centre in Newtown, Birmingham. There is a separate Question about that and I would like to wait until it is reached.
§ Dr. Wyndham DaviesWould not the right hon. Gentleman agree that on this matter it is the Minister himself who is victimising certain general practitioners who have had the strength of mind and purpose to try to improve the National Health Service by resigning from the present unsatisfactory arrangements?
§ Mr. RobinsonI fully appreciate the hon. Gentleman's self-appointed rôle as spokesman for the Birmingham Action Group, but I hope that in considering these matters even he will put the interests of the patients of Birmingham first.