§ 20. Dr. Millerasked the Minister of Health, if he will ask hospital boards to draw to the attention of their medical staffs the fact that they are entitled to issue panel medical certificates in their out-patient departments, thus frequently obviating for the patient the necessity of making a further medical visit, this time to his general practitioner.
§ Mr. LoughlinThis has already been done.
§ Dr. MillerWhile thanking my hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask him whether he is aware that, in spite of the fact that he said that this is being done, many hospital doctors do not carry out the instructions which have been given to them or, at least, they do not avail themselves of the right which they have? This constitutes a considerable inconvenience both to the patients and to the doctors.
§ Mr. LoughlinMy hon. Friend can take it from me that we have drawn the attention of hospital management committees to this matter. There is some difficulty in Scotland, and I understand that the matter is now being discussed with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. I hope he will soon get as good a situation in Scotland as we now have in England and Wales.
§ Mr. RankinIn view of the addendum to the previous reply, are we to take it that this has not yet been carried out in Scotland?
§ Mr. LoughlinI gather that some discussion is taking place in Scotland.