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Health and Social Care Bill

That is true, but it depends on who is doing the appraisal. I am not sure whether it would be right for someone who works alongside a person to do their appraisal. I shall finish on this note, given that my hon. Friend tempts me. I represent a constituency that is covered by the Rotherham district general hospital, which was visited by the famous Gerry Robinson and a BBC crew earlier this year. That was on national television, and my hon. Friend may recall two consultants in the ophthalmic department. One of them would do cataracts only under a general anaesthetic and the other one would do them only under a local anaesthetic. The latter consultant would normally do about six or seven in any one session, and the other would do only three. It is true to say that to some extent the royal colleges might defend that, although the risk of using general anaesthetic is greater than that of using local anaesthetic, but that consultant did not use it because he would not. I thought that that was wholly wrong, and I am pleased to say that he is about to begin a long and happy retirement from the NHS. Everyone is obliged to keep up to speed with what is happening in their profession, and Members of this House, of all parties, do so all the time. I do not put in my manifesto what I put in it when I stood for election in 1983. I do not say things in this House that I used to say in 1983 either. We all have a right to ensure that we keep up to speed in many areas, and the medical profession should have as well. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to relate some of my experience, and explain what the GMC feels about some areas of the Bill. It is a great opportunity for us to advance health care in this country, and have health care that looks after patients, the public interest and doctors as well. I am pleased to support the Bill.