§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up an urgent investigation into the organisation and the quality of the training schemes for general practitioners.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeNo. I have no evidence that the schemes of training for general practitioners, all of which must be approved educationally, are unsatisfactory.
§ Mr. Christopher Hawkinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the controls over general practitioner deputising services are being fully and properly exercised.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThere are substantial legislative and administrative controls on the use of deputising services by general practitioners, which are exercised locally by family practitioner committees advised by professional advisory committees. Generally, the arrangements are working well, but I am aware that concern exists in some areas about the extent to which doctors use deputising services, and the standard of those services.
I wrote yesterday, to the chairmen of all FPCs asking them to review local arrangements concerning doctors' 499W deputising services and to give me an assurance that their committees are fully carrying out their statutory responsibilities. A copy of my letter has been placed in the House of Commons Library.