§ Captain Kerbyasked the Minister of Health if he is aware that, under his terms of service, a National Health Service General practitioner who is ill in hospital is still responsible for the acts and omissions of his deputy and for payment of any financial penalty imposed by the National Health Service as a result of those acts and omissions; and what action he is taking to amend the terms of service so as to alleviate the concern being caused to many general practitioners and their families.
§ Mr. BarberThe great majority of deputies are partners or other doctors who are themselves on the medical list and who are responsible for their own actions. Retention of responsibility by the appointing doctor in the remaining minority of cases is in accordance with the principle that practitioners on the list are responsible for the medical care of their National Health Service patients and are paid accordingly.