§ Mr. David Watkinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if any limit is placed upon the number of appointments which may be made by consultants contracted to the National Health Service.
§ Dr. OwenNo, but under exceptional local circumstances it may temporarily not be possible for a consultatnt to make the usual number of appointments.
§ Mr. David Watkinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what obligations are placed upon consultants contracted to the National Health Service to 333W accept referrals of National Health Service patients.
§ Dr. OwenConsultants in contract with the National Health Service are obliged to provide hospital and specialist services under the National Health Service Acts, including diagnosis and treatment of patients referred to them at the hospitals, health centres and clinics specified in their contracts.
§ Mr. David Watkinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what restrictions are placed upon the freedom of choice of general practitioners in referring National Health Service patients to consultants.
§ Dr. OwenThere are no formal restrictions. However, a general practitioner will naturally take account of such considerations as the distance the patient would have to travel and the time he would have to wait for an appointment when deciding to whom he should be referred.
§ Mr. David Watkinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if there is any obligatory procedure to be followed by general practitioners in referring National Health Service patients to consultants.
§ Dr. OwenA general practitioner is obliged by his terms of service to refer a patient as necessary to any other services provided under the Health Service Acts. There is no obligatory procedure for referral to a consultant; it is usual to refer the patient to an individual consultant, but occasionally it is more appropriate to refer him to a hospital department.
§ Mr. David Watkinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance is issued to general practioners on the procedure to be followed when seeking to refer National Health Service patients to consultants.
§ Dr. OwenNo general guidance on this procedure has been issued. Many hospitals issue a form of referral letter and agree with general practitioner representatives locally on mechanisms for dealing with urgent cases.