§ Mr. J Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are taken by the local medical executive committee to investigate complaints by patients against doctors before asking doctors to appear before them to answer these complaints.
§ Mr. NobleThe complaint—which must normally be made within six weeks of the event which gave rise to it—is first considered by the chairman of the Executive Council's Medical Service Committee. If in his opinion the complainer's statement discloses no prima facie ground of complaint, or is frivolous or vexatious, the complainer is so informed and is given an opportunity to submit a further statement. If no further statement is submitted, or if the statement submitted does not in the chairman's opinion render a hearing necessary, the case is brought before the Medical Service Committee which has power to dispense with a hearing and report on the matter forthwith to the Executive Council.
It is only where, in the chairman's opinion, the complainer's original statement does disclose a prima facie ground of complaint or his later statement makes a hearing necessary, that the Medical Service Committee must hold a hearing at which the doctor and the complainer are invited to appear.
104Wawarded on 3lst March, 1963, are shown in brackets in the last column.
§ Mr. J. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if a general practitioner is allowed legal representation or some other person to speak on his behalf when asked to appear before the medical executive committee because of a complaint from a patient.
Mr. NoblyNeither the general practitioner nor the complainer is allowed paid legal representation at the hearing of a complaint by a Medical Service Committee. It is, however, open to either party to have some other person such as a relative or friend, to assist him in the conduct of his case.
§ Mr. J. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what representations he has received from organisations regarding the method of dealing with complaints against doctors by patients; what form these representations took; and what replies he has sent;
(2) what plans he has for placing general practitioners on the same footing as consultants is with regard to complaints from patients; and what considerations he takes into account in deciding this matter.
§ Mr. NobleOver the years the representative organisations concerned have made a number of suggestions for minor improvements in procedure. I hope to discuss with them shortly the amendment and consolidation of the regulations, but I am not aware of any proposals for a major change.
105W
§ Mr. J. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints were made by patients against general practitioners in the years 1961, 1962 and 1963; and how many of these complaints were substantiated after investigation by the local medical executive committee.
§ Mr. NobleThe following table gives the information requested:—106W
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE, SCOTLAND COMPLAINTS AGAINST GENERAL PRACTITIONERS — 1961 1962 1963 Number of complaints by patients against their general practitioner 24 17 38 Number of complaints in which the practitioner was held to have been in breach of his terms of service 5 4 10