§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about general medical practitioners claiming fees from their local health authorities for services to individual patients which they do not provide; what assessment he has made of the costs to his Department of this practice; and what safeguards exist to prevent it. [15074]
§ Mr. MaloneManagement controls within individual health authorities should ensure that fees are paid only to general medical practitioners for services which they have provided. Payments are subject to scrutiny by both internal and external auditors. Any false fee claims will affect only the distribution of incomes to general medical practitioners but will not increase the overall cost of general medical services.
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