§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are taken by family health services authorities to monitor the number of night visits by general practitioners.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyFamily health service authorities collect information on night visit fee claims as part of their managerial responsibility to monitor the general practitioner's contract.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether there has been any change in the extent of night visits and out-of-hours work by general practitioners since the introduction of the new general practitioner contract;
906W(2) whether there have been any changes in the use by general practitioners of deputising services since the introduction of the new general practitioner contract.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyWe are currently conducting a bi-annual survey to collect data on the number of general practitioners who have consent to use a deputising service and the number of night visits made and by whom. The results should be available by the end of October.