§ Mr. ROWLANDSasked the Undersecretary of State for War whether he is aware that there are many duly qualified pharmacists at present in the Army whoso services are not being utilised as dispensers; and whether he will consider if more advantage can be taken of these trained men?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONUp to the present the supply of pharmacists and dispensers for the Army has been sufficient to meet the demand, and it has not been found necessary to withdraw these men from other units. The fact that there are a number of dispensers available in corps other than the Royal Army Medical Corps has not been lost sight of.
§ Mr. HOHLERasked tie Under-Secretary of State for War whether, now that he has learnt that his answer of the 5th December last was inaccurate and that Corporal Heasman, employed as a dispenser at No. 2 London General Hospital, had neither the pharmaceutical nor Royal Army Medical Corps qualifications, he will have him medically examined with a view to his transfer to a fighting unit and fill his place with a qualified woman from the waiting list; and, if not, will he state precisely what his alleged infirmity is, and the grounds for his refusal to transfer this man?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONDuring the present emergency it has been provided by an Army Order that, if a dispenser is not in possession of the qualifications required by the Standing Orders of the Royal Army Medical Corps, he shall have had three years' experience in the duties. The non-commissioned officer referred to is reported by the authorities of the hospital to have had this experience and to be a competent dispenser. He works under the supervision of a fully qualified pharmacist. He has been recently 49W medically examined and his category is B 3. Owing to an injury to his left hand he is unsuitable and ineligible for transfer to a combatant unit.