§ Mr. Peter Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the orthopaedic surgeons' burden of seeing
600Wtable for the financial year 1976–77, but showing family allowance and child interim benefit instead of child benefit.
§ Mr. OrmeThe value of benefits provided in respect of children for 1976–77 and 1977–78 are as follows:
patients in out-patient clinics could be redistributed to general practitioners so that surgeons can commit themselves more thoroughly to in-patient care.
§ Mr. EnnalsIt must be recognised that patients are normally referred to outpatient clinics because their family doctors feel they should be treated by someone with specialised knowledge and experience. My Department already encourages suitably qualified general practitioners to work part-time in hospitals as members of hospital teams, but the general practitioners treat patients under the supervision of the relevant consultant who retains primary responsibility for the patients' treatment. I see this as a useful development which goes some way to meeting what the right hon. Gentleman has in mind.