§ Mr. Bishopasked the Minister of Health what action he is taking to encourage doctors to continue to work in Great Britain, in particular by enabling young doctors to have married quarters in or near hospitals, by having ancillary departments for keeping medicine up to date for hospital practitioners, and by enabling general practitioners to have reasonable facilities, including group practices, use of health centres and salaried or sessional payments.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonHospital authorities have been reminded of the importance of making sufficient provision in their residential accommodation for married quarters; the attention of Regional Hospital Boards has been drawn to the need for expanding their arrangements for post-graduate medical education and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the relevant memorandum. As regards general practitioners I cannot for the moment add to what I told the House in the debates on 17th February and 17th March.
§ Mr. Bishopasked the Minister of Health how many doctors have emigrated in each of the past 10 years; what information he has about the reasons for their leaving the United Kingdom; and to what countries they have gone.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonOn average about 400 British-based doctors emigrated each year over the period 1955–1962 but some who had left earlier returned during this period and the average net figure is estimated at 320. Figures for individual years are not available. A recent study estimated that of British doctors resident abroad in 1962 about 30 per cent. were in the less developed countries but the majority were in the U.S.A., Canada and Australia. No comprehensive information is available on the reasons why these doctors left the country.
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