HC Deb 04 July 1980 vol 987 cc729-30W
Dr. Roger Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he proposes to give financial assistance to those practitioners who find working from health centres financially disadvantageous.

Dr. Vaughan

No. The accommodation charge is purely notional since it is reimbursed in full to the general medical practitioner by the family practitioner committee. Furthermore, the gross re- muneration of these practitioners contains an element for practice expenses, including health centre service charges, based on the national average of these expenses.

Under existing guidance, charges for accommodation and services provided to general practitioners working in health centres should be reviewed every three years and new charges agreed between the practitioners and the authority in consultation with the family practitioner committee. This provides the opportunity for dissatisfied practitioners to air their views locally.