HC Deb 22 November 1977 vol 939 cc653-4W
Mr. Newton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will list the gross and net emigration of doctors born in the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom, in each year from 1970.

Mr. Moyle

Information on permanent emigrants is not directly available, as it is not known how many doctors leaving the country do so with the intention of returning subsequently. the table below shows the number of fully or provisionally registered civilian doctors born in the United Kingdom or Irish Republic leaving Great Britain during the 12 months ending 30th September of the year stated and the number returning. the difference between the two is shown as net outflow.

Year Outflow Inflow Net Outflow
1970 930 650 280
1971 850 530 320
1972 800 700 100
1973 1,010 630 380
1974 900 550 350

These figures are subject to amendment as more information becomes available. Detailed figures for later years are not yet available but provisional figures for the periods 1974–75 and 1975–76 suggest that the outflow was about 200 above that in the period 1973–74 in both years. the net outflow appears to have increased in the period 1974–75 but returned to the 1973–74 level in 1975–76.

53. Mr. Adley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that a member of the public when complaining about a general practitioner will get a fair hearing from a jury 50 per cent. of whose members are general practitioners.

Mr. Moyle

Allegations that a general practitioner has failed to comply with his terms of service which form part of his contract with the family practitioner committee are investigated by the medical service committee of that committee. The medical service committee consists of three general practitioners, three laymen and a lay chairman. If there is an equal division of votes between the members in a case, the lay chairman has a casting vote. It is vital that the procedures of these committees should be fair to both parties involved, and it is for this reason that their membership is divided equally between professionals and laymen.

80. Dr. M. S. Miller

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the gross income of the average principal in general practice in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Moyle

I regret that information about gross income from all sources is not available, that England and Wales figures for income from family practitioner committees are not readily available for recent years, and that in the following tables different bases have had to be used for different periods. The figures, which include the reimbursement of practice expenses are as follows:

(a) Average gross NHS income for Great Britain of a principal in general practice in respect of general medical services, based on the estimated total cost in a full year at the rates of pay ruling in the year concerned divided by the estimated average number of principals:

Year £
1976–77 16,240
1975–76 14,580
1974–75 10,900
1973–74 9,700
1972–73 9,010
1971–72 8,420

(b) Average gross NHS income, excluding payments for dispensing, in England and Wales of a principal in general practice in respect of general medical services based on actual payments made to principals divided by the average number of principals in each year.

year £
1972–73 8,470
1971–72 7,970
1970–71 7,450
1969–70 6,100
1968–69 5,730
1967–68 5,440

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