The work of North Yorkshire's police surgeons is to come under the microscope as the force attempts to determine if it is getting value for money.

There are 19 surgeons based throughout the county, and while the cost of the service is increasing, no detailed breakdown has been available, although £226,422 was paid out in doctors' fees last year.

But a report to North Yorkshire Police Authority concludes "there are wide discrepancies between custody services with Harrogate being the most expensive and Scarborough the least expensive".

The force hopes that by calling in the auditors it will be possible to standardise and improve the service and bring in formal contracts.

Police surgeons are usually working GPs, who provide a call out service for the police, but at the moment they do not have job descriptions and no records are kept on how often an individual doctor is employed and at what cost. The majority of the surgeons' time is spent performing assessments on prisoners to decided if they are fit to be held in custody if they are drunk or have taken drugs.

But they also carry out a small but significant amount of forensic work, which can play a crucial part in investigations.

They examine victims and suspects in cases of rape, child abuse and assault as well as taking blood samples from suspected drink drivers.

The doctors receive a daytime callout fee of £36.90 and a night rate of £55.40 as well as mileage and an additional fee if the examination takes more than half an hour or a written report is needed.

Cases where a forensic examination is required also attract extra money.

Under the current system of payment doctors invoice the police but there are no requirements for them to do that within a given time.Concern has been expressed that this approach could lead to uncertainty about police expenditure and the inefficient processing of claims.

Under the force's action plan it is suggested that a computerised system of recording the surgeons' visits is kept as part of the custody records system and that a standardised fees claim form, to be used by all surgeons, should be drawn up.

North Yorkshire Police Authority will meet at County Hall, in Northallerton to discuss the report's recommendations on Tuesday, January 19.

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