§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will arrange with professional advisory committees to compile figures showing the number of junior hospital doctors who also work in general practitioner deputising services.
§ Mr. Moyle,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11th July 1978; Vol. 953, c. 497], gave the following information:
I share my hon. Friend's concern that doctors who provide general practitioner deputising services should have approprivate experience for the work, and that those who are mainly employed elsewhere, including the hospital service, should not undertake total commitments which prejudice their efficiency in either employment. A new code of practice has been agreed between the Secretary of State and the profession. Under its terms, professional advisory committees will satisfy themselves that deputising services do not employ doctors in a way which over-commits their time, and will if necessary be able to advise family practitioner committees not to consent to the use of any deputising services which fail to comply with the code. The arrangements do not include provision for notifying my Department about other employments of deputising doctors and I hope to keep such statistical returns to a minimum.