HC Deb 12 December 1939 vol 355 cc1056-8W
Mr. Denville

asked the Minister of Health whether his scheme for dealing with war injuries sustained by civilians includes treatment for shell-shock, gas-poisoning and all forms of suffering not being actual wounds; and will he state the extent of any scheme for compensation to such cases?

Mr. Elliot

The Emergency Hospital Scheme provides for giving hospital treatment to all civilians who require such treatment as a result of enemy action and includes treatment for all forms of neurasthenia and for gas poisoning. The second part of the question is for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions, who will, I understand, write to my hon. Friend on the point.

Mr. Denville

asked the Minister of Health what precise agreement he has made with the British Medical Association, in respect of the temporary domiciliary medical service which he proposes to establish for civilians who sustain war injuries in this country; and why no other medical organisation like the Medical Practitioners' Union has been asked to co-operate?

Mr. Elliot

I have arranged, in co-operation with the British Medical Association, that free domiciliary treatment shall be available to war casualties in cases where further treatment is required after attendance at hospital, a fee of 16s. a year being paid to medical practitioners who give this treatment in respect of any casualty not entitled to medical benefit under the National Health Insurance Acts. In accordance with established practice, I consulted the British Medical Association as representing the general body of the medical profession.

Mr. Denville

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give details of the temporary domiciliary medical service for civilians, other than insured persons, who sustain war injuries when hospital treatment is not necessary or is impracticable; whether the scheme is to apply to the whole of Great Britain; and how the scheme is to be administered?

Mr. Elliot

Details of the service referred to will appear in a forthcoming memorandum, a copy of which I will send to my hon. Friend. The scheme will apply to the whole of Great Britain, although there may be differences of detail in Scotland. It will be administered by my Department in England and Wales and by the Department of Health in Scotland.

Mr. Groves

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that out of 44,608 medical practitioners on the medical register, 43,650 are included on the committee's register and many are obviously unavailable; and what steps he is taking to secure a larger percentage being effectively on the list?

Mr. Elliot

The number of practitioners on the Central Medical War Committee's register is 98 per cent. of the total number of practitioners resident in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Their availability for emergency work naturally varies with their individual circumstances, which are recorded in the register held by the local medical war committees and it is the function of those committees to advise on the most effective use of the practitioners in their areas, as and when demands for their services arise.

Captain Strickland

asked the Minister of Health on what grounds he bases his objection to the acquisition of motor-trailer ambulances by local authorities; and whether he has invited any practical demonstration of the utility of these vehicles?

Mr. Elliot

I have not refused to sanction the purchase of motor-trailer ambulances, as suggested in the first part of the question. On the contrary I have sanctioned the purchase of some hundreds of these vehicles. Although local authorities have been recommended to provide ambulances by buying and converting suitable second-hand cars, which I am satisfied, after the fullest consideration, is in general the better method of meeting the requirements of the emergency service, they have also been informed that application for approval of expenditure on trailer ambulances will be entertained where they are satisfied that this type of vehicle would best meet the needs of a particular area without involving greater expense.

Officers of my Department have inspected trailer vehicles, and their use has been demonstrated in air-raid precautions exercises.