§ 71. Mr. Oakesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with present arrangements which exist for general practitioners to deal with emergency calls from patients when the doctor is off duty; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AlisonGeneral practitioners are required under their National Health service terms of service to provide or arrange to provide any necessary treatment for their patients at all times. They are entitled to arrange for deputies to act on their behalf, but they remain personally responsible. They may with the consent of the executive council concerned employ as their deputies commercial deputising services. Executive councils are expected to satisfy themselves that the quality of service so provided is adequate, and are required to review periodically all authorisations to use these services. In general these arrangements seem satisfactory.