§ 13. Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from general practitioners in Bolton and other areas in the north-west about proposals for reform of the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanWe have received a number of representations from GPs from Bolton and the north-west, including some passed on to me by my hon. Friend.
§ 14. Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider withdrawing the proposals on self-governing trusts contained within "Working for Patients."
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeNo.
§ 15. Sir David PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals within the National Health Service are currently in a position to provide a complete price list of all their treatments, operations and investigatory services; and how many will be required to do so by April 1991 in order to fulfil the terms of the Government's White Paper "Working for Patients."
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§ Mr. Roger FreemanThe current level of information about costs varies from hospital to hospital. A key element of our programme of reform is to provide all 260 major acute hopitals with the computerised systems they need to manage their resources more effectively. By April 1991 significant progress in implementing these new systems will have been made at a number of sites. However, the timetable for reform set out in the White Paper will not require any hospital to be in a position then to cost each of its services at the level of detail suggested by my hon. Friend's question.
§ Mr. SternTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from overprescribing doctors in connection with the National Health Service review.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe have received many representations from many doctors. I regret to say that it is not possible to distinguish between those from doctors who overprescribe and those from doctors who do not. The review will ensure that all doctors will always be able to prescribe all necessary medicines to patients.
§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters his Department has received since 1 497W January concerning the Government's approach to the National Health Service; and what proportion of these letters has been congratulatory.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe have received 3,500 representations about our proposals in "Working For Patients", expressing a wide range of questions and views which I shall take into account as part of the process of implementation. Many are broadly supportive, but it would not be possible, except at disproportionate cost, to establish the proportion which are congratulatory and those which are not. I am more interested in constructive comments than in congratulations or political opposition.
§ 66. Mr. SumbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received from general practitioners following the publication of his White Paper "Working for Patients;" and of these, how many contained requests for further details on the proposals contained therein.
§ Mr. MellorWe have received some 1,200 representations from general practitioners, many asking questions. Information on the numbers requesting further details rather than expressing views is not available.
§ 59. Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider introducing a pilot scheme for indicative drug budgets before going ahead with the proposals in "Working for Patients."
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) on 21 March, at column562.
§ 45. Mr. ColvinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what further representations he has received from general practitioners about the proposals for practice management in the National Health Service review.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe continue to receive representations from general practitioners expressing a wide range of views. We shall take these carefully into account as the implementation process goes forward.
§ 41. Mr. Tim SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what contribution general practitioners are making in explaining to patients the National Health Service review proposals.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeSome general practitioners are giving their patients a fair description of the benefits which will result from the White Paper proposals. I have also received representations from some GPs who are plainly misleading their patients particularly by use of BMA leaflets and causing unnecessary anxieties to old and sick people. I regret this and I am taking all possible steps to correct it. I have written to all general practitioners to set the record straight and to refute the inaccuracies contained in the BMA leaflet. I hope that all responsible general practitioners will respond by entering into constructive discussion of my proposals and by ceasing to cause unnecessary concern to their patients.
§ 35. Mr. HindTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to meet representatives of the British Medical Association to discuss the White Paper "Working for Patients"; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have had three meetings with the general medical services committee on the remuneration of498W general practitioners and I will have another meeting if it requests one. I will be meeting the joint consultants committee, which includes representatives of the BMA, tomorrow. I look forward to hearing that committee's views on the review proposals. The British Medical Association has not formally put any views on the review to me, although I have read its leaflets and pamphlets.
§ 33. Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from the south-west concerning the proposed changes for general practitioners contained in the "Working for Patients" document.
§ Mr. MellorWe have received a number of representations from the south-west, as from the rest of the country. Many are supportive of the proposals.
§ 22. Mr. Ron BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has received recent representations from the Medical Practitioners' Union about reform of the National Health Service.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI am not aware of any such representations.
§ 20. Mr. TredinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received recently from doctors and other medical professions concerning his White Paper on the Health Service; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have received a wide range of comments from doctors and other medical staff and shall take them carefully into account as the process of implementation goes forward.
§ 18. Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the recent representations he has received from family practitioners about his White Paper.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have received a wide range of comments from family practitioners and shall take them carefully into account as the process of implementation goes forward.