HC Deb 04 November 1983 vol 47 cc482-4W
Mr. Norman Atkinson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current procedure for distributing new distinction awards in the National Health Service if records are no longer reviewed annually.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The merits of all eligible consultants are still considered annually by the advisory committee machinery. In each health region there is a regional awards committee with members, who themselves hold awards, drawn from each district and with representation of all the major specialties. This committee reviews all practitioners in its region who do not hold awards and makes recommendations to the central advisory committee for C awards. Similarly each region has a higher awards committee comprised of consultants holding at least a B award which makes recommendations at the A and B levels.

To safeguard the interests of consultants in specialties whose work is less well known or understood by their colleagues, there is a system of specialist panels and advisers reporting direct to the central committee. Recommendations are also sought from the medical royal colleges and faculties, the Medical Research Council, Public Health Laboratory Service Board and the special hospitals as a further safeguard for any consultants whose worth may be underestimated peripherally. Finally, each practitioner who has served 12 years in the grade and does not have an award is invited to complete a personal record form for a review of his case. All that has been discontinued is the automatic central reivew of all consultants' records irrespective of their length of service. This proud unnecessary in practice and imposed considerable administrative burdens and expense.

The chairman and vice-chairman pay a visit each year to every region when they meet the members of the regional and higher awards committees and the regional advisors and question them about their own recommendations and names which have come from the other sources mentioned. The aim of this is to ensure that no consultant is overlooked and that everyone who has been recommended recieves full consideration.

Mr. Norman Atkinson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what criteria both he and the advisory committee use in making distinction awards to consultants in the National Health Service; and what is the value of each award at A+, A, B and C.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The criteria used by the advisory committee on distinction awards in recommending my right hon. Friend to grant distinction awards to consultants and community physicians in the National Health Service were set out by the current chairman, Sir Stanley Clayton, MD MS FRCP FRCS FRCOG, in an article published in "Health Trends" in November 1979. They include direct service to patients or their general practitioners, improvement of the service, training and teaching research, medical administration, and clinical or academic distinction. Hard work and oustanding service to the NHS may alone be sufficient reason for an award, particularly at the B and C levels.

The present annual values of awards are:

A+ £20,315
A £ 15,650
B £9,365
C £4,170

From 1 January 1984 these amounts will be increaed to:

A+ £20,825
A £16,040
B £9,605
C £4,280

Part-time practitioners are paid pro rata.

Mr. Norman Atkinson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of National Health Service distinction awards is given to consultants with less than a full-time or maximum part-time commitment to the National Health Service; if he will reconsider the criteria which limits to 25.8 per cent. the awards going to consultants in the priority services—geriatrics, mental illness and mental handicap—compared with the 38 per cent of consultants in the other specialties; and what is the cost of the awards in the priority services and the other services.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

Information on the tenure of distinction awards by type of contract is not centrally available.

The criteria applied to consultants in geriatrics, mental illness and mental handicap are the same as for consultants in the other disciplines; there are no limitations imposed. On the suggestions of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration, the advisory committee is endeavouring to equalise the percentage of awards among the various specialties, and where it appears that there may be a lower proportion of awards in any region in a particular specialty this is brought to the notice of the relevant committee. Because of the limited number of awards available for distribution each year, however, progress is slow.