§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if general practitioners will be expected to take disabled people on to their lists under the new arrangements for the National Health Service;
(2) whether there will be an appeals procedure for disabled people if a general practitioner refuses to accept a patient on to his list.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyAny person may ask a doctor who has contracted to provide general medical services under the National Health Service to be accepted as a patient. Under the terms of their contract, doctors are not obliged to meet such a request. They are obliged to accept a patient when allocated by the local family practitioner committee. Any patient unable to find a suitable doctor should approach the family practitioner committee accordingly.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision will be made in his new arrangements for community care for disabled people to appeal against an assessment decision.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyAs announced in the White Paper "Caring for People" all local social services authorities will be expected to set up and publicise procedures for receiving and responding to complaints from users of services, including disabled people. Any user, or carer, who is dissatisfied with an assessment decision will be able to make representations through these procedures.
We will be issuing guidelines to local authorities about these procedures, backed up with Secretary of State directions where appropriate.