Oral Answers to Questions — Hospitals – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 23 Mawrth 1964.
Mr Laurie Pavitt
, Willesden West
12:00,
23 Mawrth 1964
asked the Minister of Health if he will make it an offence subject to disciplinary action for any employee of the National Health Service, other than the consultant directly concerned, to offer to arrange a private fee-paying consultation or to advise this action as a means of securing speedier service than can be offered by a hospital through its normal arrangements.
Bernard Braine
, Essex South East
I agree that any such action by an employee, except at the patient's request, would be wrong. This is generally understood in the hospital service, but my right hon. Friend will remind hospital authorities of the point.
Mr Laurie Pavitt
, Willesden West
Does that mean that the Minister will send out a circular to hospital author ties on the lines I proposed in my Question? I thank the hon. Gentleman for his reply to the specific case I raised where this actually occurred, and I look forward to receiving the result of his further investigation in due course.
Bernard Braine
, Essex South East
We shall advise hospital authorities on this. When my inquiries are completed in the case the hon. Gentleman has raised, I will get in touch with him at once.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
