HC Deb 27 February 1940 vol 357 cc1914-6W
Mr. Groves

asked the Secretary of State for War in how many cases the accounts of civilian practitioners called to attend acute illnesses of soldiers on leave have been refused payment on the ground that such soldiers should have sought admission to the nearest military hospital, if within two miles of their residence?

Mr. Stanley

I am not aware of any such cases.

Mr. Groves

asked the Secretary of State for War whether military medical officers are employed to visit and treat sick soldiers residing at distances of 10 miles and more from the headquarters of such officers, even when there are many civilian medical practitioners living within a mile of the sick soldiers' residence; whether such military medical officers are provided with Government motor cars for the purpose of such journeys; and what arrangements are made for the supply of the necessary medicines to such soldiers?

Mr. Stanley

Medical officers visit outlying detachments for the purpose of attending men reporting sick or of supervising other matters relating to the health of the troops, and in certain cases they are provided with a motor car and driver. In an urgent case, a civilian medical practitioner may be called in. Medicines ordered by the medical officer are provided from Army sources.

Mr. Groves

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction which exists amongst civilian medical practitioners engaged by his Department; whether he will explain the precise difference in the duties for which the maximum is payable in the case of civilian medical practitioners engaged on full-time Royal Army Medical Corps duties and civilian medical practitioners engaged on whole-time duties; and whether he will state, approximately, the number of civilian medical practitioners in each of the classes referred to not actually in receipt of the maximum rates payable?

Mr. Stanley

There was some misunderstanding as to the conditions which has now, I hope, been removed. The distinction drawn between full-time and whole-time duties is that, in the former case, the civilian medical practitioner is responsible for the full duties which would be carried out, for example, in a military hospital, by a Royal Army Medical Corps officer if one were available, and is therefore left with no time available for private practice, while, in the latter case, although he is liable to be called out at any time and his actual duties occupy, on the average, several hours a day, they do not take up all his time and he has, in fact, opportunities for private practice. There are fixed rates for full-time and whole-time duties as follow: Full-time 30s. a day (33s. 6d. a day where there is no service medical officer at the station), and whole-time, 25s. a day. The last part of the Question does not, therefore, arise.

Mr. Groves

asked the Secretary of State for War whether soldiers who chance to be injured or attacked by sudden illness while on leave, are required to get into touch with any military hospital within two miles of their place of residence, and may not obtain the services of a neighbouring civilian practitioner, except at their own expense; and whether he will consider the difficulty of discovering and making contact with the smaller military hospitals in cases of acute illness with a view to remedying the hardship inflicted on soldiers by this condition?

Mr. Stanley

The general rule is as stated, but, where it is clear that it was impracticable for the soldier to avail himself of official medical facilities, the cost of the services of a civilian medical practitioner would be met from Army funds.