§ Mr. Liddallasked the Minister of Health how many of the 63,500 on the medical register have volunteered for the Royal Navy, Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Air Force, etc., medical services, since the declaration of war; and is he satisfied that an adequate number of medical men are being left in this country to meet the ordinary needs of the civilian population, and to cope with any possible emergency?
§ Miss HorsbrughOf the 45,000 registered medical practitioners in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 3,001 have voluntarily joined the Forces as medical officers, in addition to those called up by virtue of their obligations as Territorial or Reserve officers. My officers are in consultation with those of the Service Departments with the object of securing a fair distribution of the available doctors between the Forces and the emergency and other civilian services.
§ Mr. Grovesasked the Minister of Health, having regard to the recommendation of the Central Medical War Committee for the conscription of all medical practitioners in civilian practice within the age-groups called up for military service, what arrangements are in contemplation to avoid dislocation of the civilian medical services in areas in which, if the recommendation was adopted, there 497W would be dislocation of the civilian medical services or an undue shortage of doctors in the event of an air raid?
§ Mr. ElliotArrangements have been announced to-day under which medical practitioners registered with their age groups under the National Service (Armed Forces) Act will be liable to serve with the Forces as medical officers. Individual practitioners will be selected for the various areas through the machinery of the Central Medical War Committee and its local committees, with the object of avoiding the dislocation or shortage referred to by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Grovesasked the Minister of Health how, and in what way the British Medical Association was asked to supply names of practitioners from whom it was intended to select chairmen of recruiting medical boards; what qualifications and ages were suggested; what care was taken to ensure that the list should contain the names of practitioners who are not members of the association; and whether he is aware that no name was submitted of a practitioner who was not a member of the Association?
§ Mr. ElliotChairmen of medical boards for the examination of recruits were appointed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service from recommendations which I made to him after consideration by my medical officers of the names of all practitioners, over 4,000 in number, offering their services for this work through the Central Emergency Committee of the British Medical Association, as it then was. The considerations governing the selection were age, qualifications, previous experience in similar work, standing in the profession and availability for this work, and I have no knowledge whether any of the medical practitioners concerned were members of any particular association.
§ Mr. Grovesasked the Minister of Health the policy of the Central Medical War Committee as regards alien doctors; and whether, as it is apparently contemplated to call up compulsorily medical practitioners for professional services in connection with the armed forces, it is also intended to call up enemy alien medical men who are resident here, whether as refugees or otherwise, and thus preserve the practices of British doctors who are or will be serving in a professional capacity with the armed forces?
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§ Mr. ElliotThe policy of the Committee is governed entirely by the law affecting the right of alien doctors to practise in this country. As regards the second part of the Question, I would remind the hon. Member that the National Service (Armed Forces) Act applies only to British subjects.