§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients have been removed from general practitioners' lists in (a) St. Helens and Knowsley Health Authority and (b) Rainford, at the general practitioner's request in 1973, 1974 and 1975.
§ Dr. OwenThis information is not readily available by calendar years, but the numbers in the financial years to 31st March are as follows:
St. Helens and Knowsley Family Practitioner Committee Rainford To 31st March 1973 871 6 To 31st March 1974 770 3 To 31st March 1975 2,506 220 1st April to 30th September 1975 575 4 In the year 1st April 1974 to 31st March 1975, three exceptional occurrences inflated the totals. Following National Health Service reorganisation, 41 doctors practising in the Lancashire area, with 916 patients in the St. Helens and Knowsley area, chose not to come on the medical list of the latter, and therefore asked for these patients to be removed. A further 1,200 patients were removed when a branch surgery was closed. The Rainford total results from a change in the practice area of one partnership, which has ceased to provide services in Rainford.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements are made for patients struck off a general practitioner's list at his request in areas like Rainford, Merseyside, where one general practitioner has a monopoly in the village.
§ Dr. OwenThe arrangements for a place in the area of only one general practitioner will vary with individual circumstances, but there will clearly be practical limitations on the freedom of choice of both patient and doctor. In Rainford, however, there are three doctors practising in partnership, and another182W 16 doctors practising in St. Helens have Rainford patients on their lists.