§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish a study of(a) the additional paperwork required of general practitioners and their staffs by the introduction and operation of the internal market within the national health service and of means of simplifying and reducing their paper requirements; and if he will seek the co-operation of the principal professional organisations in this study. [25511]
§ Mr. MaloneThe Department of Health has already conducted a study into paperwork in general practice and has acted upon the findings. The report of the efficiency scrutiny into bureaucracy in general practice, "Patients not Paper", published in July 1995, contains recommendations which when implemented will substantially reduce bureaucracy in general practice. About 17 million forms per year will be abolished from 1 July 1996, when some of the recommendations are implemented.