§ 32. Mr. Croninasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to encourage the medical profession to accept the principle of cost-effectiveness when ordering treatment on the National Health Service.
§ Mr. CrossmanA doctor's first consideration must be to provide the treatment best suited to the patient's condition, but a variety of means is used to assist and encourage the profession to do this in the most economical way.
§ Mr. CroninIs my right hon. Friend aware that his Department spends very large sums of money on treatments which have no significant physical effect on the condition treated, often as a result of intensive promotional efforts by the commercial interests involved? Will he, therefore, seek the co-operation of the profession in taking some effective steps to correct this situation?
§ Mr. CrossmanOf course I will. If my hon. Friend will give me precise instances of the practices to which he refers, I will immediately have them investigated.
§ Mr. DoughtyIs it not much better left to the professional people as to how they carry out their professional duties?
§ Mr. CrossmanThat is what my hon. Friend said—that he wanted the advice of the profession on how to deal with this matter.