BRITISH DOCTORS AND HEALTH SERVICE

Chronicle (Levin), 5 February 1947, Page 5

BRITISH DOCTORS AND HEALTH SERVICE

(Special Correspondent).

Received Tuesday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 4. The iK'xt move in the prolonged diseussion between the NI i nister of Health and British Medical Association over the working of the National Heuith Merviee Act is now with Mr. Bevan. The Minister has now received an offer from the B.M.A. decJaring its willingness to negotiate provided the 'discussions are coinprehensive and do not exelude the possibility of further legislation. Mr. Bevan is reported to be inost reluctant to accept amendments which will entail a revision of the Act but in his recent correspondence with the presidents of the tliree Koyal MedicaJ Colleges, he indicated he was willing to- reconsider the doctors' suggestion that the payment of general practition ej's under the service should be entirely by capitation fee with no basic salary attached. If tlie Minister gives way on this point, the B.M.A. indicated it may witlidraw its opposition to the proposed abolition of the sale and transfer of practiees and to tlie limitation of the number of doctors praetising in any given area. The chief issue, however, is still the wide powers given to the Minister under the Act and the right of appeal of any doctor whose dismissal froin the servic- is reconnuended by a local executive council. At present any sueh appeals would go to a tribunal of three, two members of whicli are appointed by the .Minister. Many doctors feel there should be a right of appeal to an entirely independent judicial body.