§ Mr. RathboneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what encouragement the Government are giving to general practitioners to undertake more minor surgery.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyWe are keen to encourage more GPs to provide minor surgery, which is a service popular with patients. The GPs' new contract introduces for the first time specific remuneration for this work. GPs admitted to the minor surgery List will receive a sessional payment of £100 provided they perform at least five of the procedures listed in the regulations each quarter. A GP is allowed to claim no more than three sessional payments a quarter. Where a GP carries out minor surgery on behalf 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. These arrangements will provide a strong incentive to GPs to extend their skills, resulting in an enhanced 243W service to their patients. In consequence, patients will be saved the inconvenience of attending out-patients departments.