There seems to be real danger that the dispute between
the Ministry of Health and the doctors may lead to a deadlock and a wholesale resignation of doctors from the panel. It will be remembered that the Minister of Health has offered the doctors a capitation fee of 8s. 6d. for a three-year contract, or 8s. for a five-year contract ; that the Insurance Committee of the British Medical Associa- tion have rejected this offer as inadequate ; and that the Approved Societies under the Insurance Act are opposed to paying more than 7s. 3d. Thus, the Minister of Health is in the position of a seeker after a middle way between the strongly opposed views of the doctors and the Approved Societies. On Thursday, when we go to press, a conference of panel doctors is -meeting, and it is expected that it will confirm the policy of refusing the Minister's offer.
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