§ Mrs. L. Jegerasked the Minister of Health whether, in cases where complaints against doctors in the National Health Service have been upheld, a record, in permanent form, is preserved; and how far such records are published, or otherwise available to the public.
§ Mr. TurtonThe documents are retained in the Department's files. Reports of the National Health Service Tribunal are issued to the Press and it78W is open to executive councils to make public the facts of any case coming before their medical service committees, but the name of the doctor involved is given only where the Tribunal has directed removal from the medical list of executive councils.
§ Mrs. L. Jegerasked the Minister of Health how many complaints against doctors in the National Health Service have been received by executive councils since 1948; how many have been found without prima facie cause of complaint; how many appeals against this decision have been lodged; and with what results.
§ Mr. TurtonThe Answer to the first part of the Question is approximately 2,800. Separate records of cases found to disclose noprima facie grounds of complaint have not been maintained, but they form a very small part of the total.
§ Mrs. L. Jegerasked the Minister of Health how many complaints against doctors in the National Health Service have been discussed by the medical service committees; and with what results.
§ Mr. Turton2,508 cases involving doctors had been concluded in 7¾ years ended 31st March, 1956. Of these, in seven cases the doctor's name was removed from the medical lists of executive councils: in 355 cases sums of money were withheld from the doctor's remuneration: in 81 cases other action was taken, such as the reimbursement of expenses incurred by patients: in 301 cases the doctor's attention was drawn to a breach of his terms of service: in 1,764 cases no action was considered necessary.