§ Mrs. Dunwoodyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any controls exist to stop the possibility of queue jumping by private patients at the diagnostic stage of hospital patient service.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe Government have agreed six principles with the medical and dental professions to 407W be observed in using NHS facilities for private patients. These recognise that earlier private consultation should not lead to earlier access to NHS diagnostic procedures, that common waiting lists should be used for highly specialised diagnosis, and that, after admission, access by all patients to diagnostic facilities should be governed by clinical considerations.