Series
Ministry of Health and Department of Health and Social Security: Regional Medical...
Catalogue reference: MH 117
What's it about?
MH 117
This series contains a selection of files and reports of the Ministry of Health (and later Department of Health and Social Security) illustrating the procedure and results of investigations by regional medical officers into the prescribing of...
Full description and record details
-
Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
- MH 117
-
Title (The name of the record)
- Ministry of Health and Department of Health and Social Security: Regional Medical Officers Prescribing Investigations, Registered Files (File Office B Series)
-
Date (When the record was created)
- 1950-1972
-
Description (What the record is about)
-
This series contains a selection of files and reports of the Ministry of Health (and later Department of Health and Social Security) illustrating the procedure and results of investigations by regional medical officers into the prescribing of medicines by general practitioners.
-
Related material (A cross-reference to other related records)
-
For further File Office B files see MH 149
For further files relating to prescribing investigations see MH 153
-
Held by (Who holds the record)
- The National Archives, Kew
-
Former department reference (Former identifier given by the originating creator)
- File Office B series
-
Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
- Public Record(s)
-
Language (The language of the record)
- English
-
Creator(s) (The creator of the record)
-
- Department of Health and Social Security, 1968-1988
- Ministry of Health, 1919-1968
-
Physical description (The amount and form of the record)
- 15 file(s)
-
Access conditions (Information on conditions that restrict or affect access to the record)
- Subject to 50 year closure
-
Administrative / biographical background (Historical or biographical information about the creator of the record and the context of its creation)
-
General practitioners enjoy wide powers of discretion in prescribing for their patients, but are ultimately responsible to Local Medical Committees (LMCs). Where the Area Prescription Investigation Bureau has reason to question a doctor's prescribing practice, the Regional Medical Officer (RMO) will investigate and, if necessary, offer guidance. The RMO's findings are reported to the District Medical Officer who monitors the doctor's subsequent practice.
In some cases, the LMC may be asked to take further action by calling a meeting with the doctor and a representative of the Minister to discuss the matter, and advise the Minister of their decision. The LMC may impose a strict warning and a loss of remuneration to defray the cost of over-prescribing. The doctor has a right of appeal against the decision of the LMC and its assessment of the amount of remuneration withheld. In such cases, independent referees appointed by the Minister will hold a further meeting with the doctor, and report to the Minister.
The Area Prescription Investigation Bureau informs general practitioners annually of their prescribing costs and how they compare with colleagues in the same area. Detailed documents are sent to doctors when their costs are above the area average, and histograms are produced showing the comparative cost of commonly used preparations. This information is intended to assist doctors in comparing their prescribing costs and habits with their colleagues, and to enable them to reduce costs without lowering the standard of treatment.
-
Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C10960/
Catalogue hierarchy
This record is held at The National Archives, Kew
Within the department: MH
Records created or inherited by the Ministry of Health and successors, Local Government...
You are currently looking at the series: MH 117
Ministry of Health and Department of Health and Social Security: Regional Medical Officers Prescribing Investigations, Registered Files (File Office B Series)