§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy on family practitioner 279W child health surveillance; whether, if this is undertaken by family medical practitioners, there will be extra financial incentives to those who co-operate in such a scheme; what the source of this extra finance will be; and if he will ensure that no other field of primary care is given lesser financial provision in consequence.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Government accept the principle that the medical component of child health surveillance should, in future, increasingly be based on general practice. Various proposals for extending the role of general practitioners in preventive work for children are being considered within the health departments and by the relevant professional bodies but no decisions have yet been reached upon them.