§ Mr. Rymanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in the discussions with the medical profession on a code of practice for family doctors deputising services.
§ Mr. EnnalsMy Department has reached agreement with the British Medical Association on the text of the code of practice and on the establishment of professional advisory committees to monitor standards and performances of these services.
These committees will be appointed or approved by local medical committees. Members will be medically qualified and will include users of the deputising services. The committees will advise family practitioner committees on the professional and ethical aspects of the use and functioning of deputising services, and ensure that the general requirements of the code of practice are being implemented.
The code of practice deals with the competence and sufficiency of doctors on duty; their supporting staff; transport; communications; the priority of calls and the response to be made to them; continuity of care; the maintenance of adequate records and the provision of information derived from them; and the 280W provision of adequate information when dealing with formal complaints.
Family practitioner committees will continue to be responsible for consenting to the use of deputising services, and, in consultation with local medical committees, imposing conditions and periodically reviewing those consents and conditions.
The health circular and accompanying code of practice will be published this week.