§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he takes to ensure that children are not removed by general practitioners from their lists due to medical and lifestyle decisions by their parents. [35212]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 11 February 2002]: General practitioners have always had the right to remove patients from their list without giving a reason, just as patients have the right to withdraw from a doctor's list without giving reasons. We strongly support the General Medical Council in their guidance "Duties of a Doctor" which makes clear it is unacceptable to discriminate against patients on grounds of lifestyle, culture, beliefs, race, colour, sex, sexuality, age, social status or perceived economic worth.