HC Deb 24 October 1966 vol 734 c628
15. Mr. Goodhart

asked the Minister of Health whether he will now relax the rules restricting the access of general practitioners to their patients in hospital, in view of the present pressures on medical staffs in hospitals.

Mr. K. Robinson

I do not know what rules the hon. Member has in mind. While general practitioners also are under pressure, I have made it clear that I look forward to still greater participation by them in hospital work through part-time appointments or through assumption of responsibility for the care of suitable patients in hospitial.

Mr. Goodhart

While thanking the right hon. Gentleman for that reply, may I ask him if he is aware that a number of general practitioners still feel aggrieved that they are excluded from treatment in wards? Will he bear in mind that in a number of smaller hospitals such as Beckenham the majority of medical care was given by general practitioners as late as 1950?

Mr. Robinson

The hon. Gentleman may like to know that already between a quarter and a third of all general practitioners hold sessional hospital appointments and that further opportunities will undoubtedly become available for part-time work. If the hon. Gentleman has a particular question to ask about Beckenham, I hope that he will put it on the Notice Paper.