§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the new guidelines on the minor surgery list will preclude general practitioners from conducting minor surgery in which they are totally competent on the basis that they are not competent in all the areas of minor surgery which are listed on the revised claim forms; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what effect upon waiting lists for minor surgery he expects the revised provisions for payment and competence to have.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyNo changes have been made to the criteria for admission to the list of doctos providing minor surgical services or to the remuneration arrangements for these services. To be admitted to the minor surgery list a doctor must display competence in all the approved procedures. This is to encourage GPs to extend their skills and provide additional services to their patients. By this means patients will be saved the inconvenience of attending an out-patients department and waiting lists should be relieved.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health for how many minor surgical procedures claims may be made in an appropriate period by general practitioners; and who will be responsible for such minor surgery once these limits have been reached.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyGeneral practitioners on the minor surgery list receive payment on a sessional basis. A session consists of at least five procedures. A GP is allowed to claim three sessional payments a quarter. Where a GP is a member of a partnership or group practice he or she may claim a higher number of payments in a quarter up to a maximum of three times the number of partners or members of the group. There is of course nothing to stop a GP doing more procedures if he or she wishes, but they will not generate any further income.