After the Plebiscite
The result of the plebiscite conducted by the British Medical Association on the National Health Service Act creates a situation that must be faced without delay. It was expected that there would be a majority against accepting service under the Act. The size of the majority is beyond all anticipation. The total poll, 82 per cent. of the number of doctors on the register, was heavy ; the arrange- ments for the general conduct of the plebiscite were open to no criticism, and its validity cannot be questioned. The salient fact is that out of 45,000 doctors voting (55,842 forms were issued) 4,735 approve of the Act in its present form ; 4,084 are in favour of accept- ing service under it ; 4,494 decline to agree to refuse service under it. These include all classes of medical practitioners. The number of general practitioners assumed to be needed to make the Health Service work is at least 17,000. Obviously, therefore, the Act will be unworkable unless relations between the doctors and the Minister of Health change radically. On the doctors' side the vital decisions • are likely to be taken at a Representative Meeting to be held on March 17th. The situation cannot be allowed to stagnate till then. The question is how pourparlers are to be reopened, as reopened they must be. Whatever the merits and demerits of the antagonism between the B.M.A. and Mr. Bevan may be, of its existence there can be no question. That makes it difficult for either side to make a new approach. In such conditions the Prime Minister may reasonably be expected to take a hand, in conjunction with the Minister of Health, in the new negotiations which events make inevitable. Such intervention frequently takes place in serious industrial disputes ; there is no reason why it should not happen in a serious professional dispute. The Health Act is, after all, the responsibility of the whole Government, not of a single Department. At present the prospect of bringing the Act into force in July is gravely imperilled. Reasonable compromise is not beyond attainment, and it must be attempted without delay.
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