PROSCRIPTION BY PRESCRIPTION
SIR,-1 see that one of our MPs is continuing his campaign to name doctors who are fined by Health Executives, but I wonder if he would name doctors who are fined for over-prescribing. I was always under the impression that only patients suffered in- justice at the hands of the National Health Scheme, but a few days ago a prize piece of injustice inflicted
• on a doctor was reported to me. It appears that the doctor had been charged by the National Health Executive with over-prescribing insulin for his patients. The doctor, who I am assured is a dedicated man, claimed that there was no effective substitute for insulin, and as a result was brought before the local National Health Executive Committee, who comprised a mass of local Councillors with no medi- cal member or officer on the committee. The com- mittee in their lay and ignorant superiority insisted that there was a substitute for the drug prescribed and fined the doctor £250. It is interesting to note that the doctor was denied the right of representa- tion before the committee by solicitor or counsel and that his only right of appeal is to the Medical Council. which we all know to be retrogressive in outlook and perhaps the last body in the world to upset the status quo.
It is perhaps hardly surprising that this dedicated doctor has declared that his professional beliefs will compel him to alleviate the suffering of his patients by committing the same offence again and that since this man cannot afford to continue losing money in this way he has indicated his intention of emigrating to one of the Commonwealth countries where he hopes to be able to treat his patients with a degree of freedom obviously denied to him in this country.
AI.AN HARRISON
'Oakhurst,' 227 Preston Road, Coppull, Nr. Clwrley, Lanes
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