asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of medical referees employed by his Department to provide examinations for claimants under the disability benefit scheme; whether they work full time or part time; the procedure for their recruitment; their qualifications; and the average number of examinations conducted by a referee in the course of a year.
Written Answers. - Medical Referees.
529.
The authorised medical staff of the Department is one medical adviser, one deputy medical adviser and 18 medical referees. All posts, which are full time, are filled at present.
Medical referees employed by my Department are recruited by means of open competition conducted by the Civil Service Commissioners. In accordance with the regulations under which Medical referees are appointed to the Department, all referees: (1) are medical practitioners registered or entitled to be registered in the General Register of Medical Practitioners; (2) have held, for at least six months, a post on the resident medical staff of a general hospital, and (3) have had at least six years' satisfactory experience in the practice of the medical profession since registration.
Examination of claimants under the disability benefit and occupational injury benefit schemes are carried on throughout the year by medical referees. The average number of examinations conducted by a referee in 1984 was 2,844 (disability benefit) and 261 (disablement benefit).