HC Deb 17 July 1981 vol 8 c485W
Dr. Glyn

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the total annual cost to the National Health Service arising from cases where private patients whose doctors are not also on the National Health Service require tests under the open access scheme and are, at the discretion of the area health authority concerned, obliged to see a registered medical practitioner on the National Health Service before receiving such tests.

Dr. Vaughan

This must be very small indeed, but records would not distinguish between private out-patients and NHS patients of general practitioners, so no estimate could be made.