HC Deb 25 July 1988 vol 138 cc134-5W
Mr. Sedgemore

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many doctors are currently suspended pending disciplinary hearings under(a) HM (61) 112 procedures, (b) 5HM/49/1968 procedures, (c) HC (82) 13 procedures and (d) section 40 of the Whitley council; and if he will break down these figures by sex, ethnic origin, country of qualification, regions in England and Wales;

(2) how many doctors were suspended in each region in each year from 1979 to the present day;

(3) what is the average time taken to deal with disciplinary cases under (a) HM (61) 112 procedures, (b) HC (82) 13 procedures, (c) 5HM/49/1968 procedures and (d) section 40 of the Whitley council; and if he will give detail of regional variations;

(4) for how long doctors currently suspended have been suspended; and in how many of the cases there is a date set for the inquiry;

(5) what was the outcome of suspensions after the inquiry and how many doctors were dismissed, reprimanded or resigned in total and in each region for the last year for which figures are available;

(6) how many dismissed doctors went to industrial tribunals in the last year for which figures are available; and what was the outcome as regards dismissal and reinstatement;

(7) what is the estimated average annual cost to the health services of suspending doctors, taking into account salaries, legal costs, employing locums, negligence claims against authorities and doctors awarded costs for wrongful dismissal;

(8) how many doctors are currently suspended for reasons of (a) mental health, (b) physical health, (c) misconduct, (d) incompetence and (e) fraud, where there are disciplinary procedures pending under: (i) HM (61) 112, (ii) HC (82) 13, (iii) SHM/49/1968 and (iv) section 40 of the Whitley council.

Mr. Newton

This information is not collected centrally. We understand however that there are relatively few cases at one time.

Mr. Sedgemore

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many dismissed doctors appealed under section 190 of the red book in the last year for which figures are available; what was the outcome of the appeals; and if he will break these figures down by sex and ethnic origin.

Mr. Newton

The number of doctors who appeal under paragraph 190 of the hospital medical and dental staff terms and conditions of service varies considerably from year to year. In 1986 there were four appeals: in two dismissal was confirmed and the other two the Secretary of State determined that he did not have jurisdiction. In 1987 a total of 11 appeals were made: in one case jurisdiction was declined, four others were withdrawn or settled locally, and the remaining six are still in progress. I regret that the information available centrally does not enable me to give the other breakdown.