§ Mr. Terry FieldsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will institute an inquiry into the arbitrary removal of the Dennis family from a doctor's list in the Old Swan health centre and the Cole family from a doctor's list in the Edge Hill health centre, both in Broadgreen, Liverpool; if he will ascertain the reasons for these removals; what redress is available to the families; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[holding answer 29 January 1990]The administration of the contract of service of general medical practitioners is a matter for the local family practitioner committee, in this case the Liverpool FPC, Refuge Assurance house, Lord street, Liverpool L2 1 UT. It is, however, permissible for a practitioner to remove patients from his or her list and reasons do not have to be given. Similarly, patients may leave the list of a practitioner without giving reasons.
As my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State made clear on 23 January at columns 728–29, we should view with concern any evidence that doctors were acting unreasonably or under a mistaken interpretation of the terms of the new contract.
If any family are unable to find a doctor of their choice, they should ask the FPC (which has a duty so to do) to allocate them to a doctor's list.