§ 52. Mr. Victor Yatesasked the Minister of Health if he has examined the case submitted to him by the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, of Mr. and Mrs. Bonehill and family, of 8–88 St. Marks Street, Ladywood, who are unable to obtain the services of a panel doctor; whether he will investigate the reasons why a doctor, whose name has been sent to him, declined to attend one of the children, found later by Dudley Road Hospital to be suffering from appendicitis necessitating an emergency operation, and why he has removed the family from his panel; and if he will take steps to see that this family is placed upon a doctor's panel without further delay.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonI understand that the family were not on the list of the doctor whose name my hon. Friend has sent me and that it was in 1965 that they were removed from the list they were on. The Executive Council then explained the procedure for finding another doctor but did not hear from the family after the end of 1965 until April, 1967. They have now been allocated to a doctor's list. A complaint that a doctor has failed to 1041 comply with his obligations under the Service should be made to the Executive Council, which has statutory powers of investigation.
§ Mr. YatesIs not my right hon. Friend aware that this family, including nine children, was struck off the panel of Dr. S. Glass—not Dr. L. Glass, as was mentioned in my letter—without any explanation whatsoever? Is it not right that there should be an investigation into the reasons for a family to be placed in danger like this, and no explanation given until this weekend when this Question was put on the Order Paper and these people were allocated a doctor?
§ Mr. RobinsonNo, Sir. A doctor is free at any time to remove a patient from his list, just as patients are free to change their doctor without giving any reason. I can assure my hon. Friend that this family was told in 1965 how to get another doctor, and what I fail to understand is why the parents did nothing about it until April of this year.