§ Sir P. Rawlinsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the year 1974–75, what sums were paid by way of fees, respectively, to persons, not being full-time civil servants but following the profession of (a) medical consultants, (b) medical general practitioners, (c) dentists, (d) pharmacists, (e) chartered 84W architects, (f) chartered and quantity surveyors, (g) civil and mechanical engineers, (h) estate agents and valuers, (i) solicitors and (j) barristers.
§ Dr. OwenIn 1974–75 sums paid from public funds relating to the National Health Service in England for professional services were, to the nearest million pounds:
Consultants£82 million on the remuneration of medical and dental consultants in the hospital service, partly by way of salaries and partly by way of sessional rates.
General Practitioners£200 million in fees and allowances to doctors for the provision of general medical services.
Opticians and ophthalmic medical practitioners£12 million in fees for testing sight under the general ophthalmic services and £7 million in dispensing fees for the supply and repair of glasses. Opticians were in addition reimbursed the cost of the glasses dispensed.
Dentists£148 million in fees for the provision of general dental services.
Pharmacists£54 million in fees for the provision of pharmaceutical services; they were also paid on-cost allowances in recognition of their overhead expenses, and the cost of the drugs which they dispensed.
Architects, surveyors and engineers£18 million in fees. The break-down of this expenditure between the three professions is not readily available; and £5 million in salaries to architects, engineers and surveyors directly employed by health authorities.
Estate agents and valuersinformation is not available.
Solicitors and barristersProfessional fees and salaries were also paid to solicitors and barristers but these are not readily identifiable.
The figures given in respect of fees for the provision of family practitioner services represents the gross pay-not take into account prescription, dental and optical charges payable by some patients because the income from such charges is intended to make a contribution towards the total cost of the pharmaceutical, general dental and general ophthalmic services.