§ Mr. Bishopasked the Minister of Health what action has been taken to improve the family practitioner services since 1964; and what further action is proposed.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonDiscussions with the medical profession, designed to improve (he family doctor service for doctors and patients alike, have already achieved a new system of remunerating doctors which has made it possible to relate their pay more directly than in the past to workload and to encourage better prac-14W tice organisation, such as practice in groups and the use of ancillary staff. There are also better allowances to encourage doctors to take postgraduate education and to practise in the areas where they are most needed. The doctors' terms of service under the National Health Service are being comprehensively revised. Other measures to improve the family doctor services have included the direct supply through Executive Councils of disposable hypodermic syringes and needles; the provision of grants to doctors carrying out improvements to existing practice premises; the setting up of a General Practice Finance Corporation to make loans for provision of premises; and a campaign to encourage the public to make the best use of family doctors' time. I shall encourage better practice organisation through the further development of group practice, closer working with local authority nursing and other domiciliary staff, and the building of specially designed practice premises, whether by local authorities in health centres or by doctors themselves with the help of loans from the Finance Corporation.
The Health Services and Public Health Bill which is at present before Parliament includes provisions to make the Supplementary Ophthalmic Services permanent and to facilitate the provision of family practitioner services at health centres.