Lord Carlile of Berriewasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any special measures are in existence to audit the clinical performance and drug prescription record of single-handed practitioners in general practice; and [HL873]
What is their policy towards single-handed general medical practice. [HL874]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)Health authorities currently routinely monitor all general practitioners in the same way.
There are about 3,000 single-handed GPs in this country and most provide a valuable service to tens of thousands of patients, often in inner-city or isolated rural areas. The Government's policy is that those patients have no less right to expect precisely the same standards of care from a single-handed GP as they might get from a large, multi-partner practice.
Work is being undertaken to examine and, where necessary, tighten up regulations around specific areas in the light of the Dr Shipman case. These measures will build upon existing quality initiatives and moves by the medical profession towards revalidation.
Any further measures will be informed by the work of the inquiry.