HC Deb 16 December 1948 vol 459 c1365
19. Sir W. Wakefield

asked the Minister of Health if he will indicate the administrative difficulties which prevent the disallowing of prescriptions prescribed at the public expense but not conforming to required conditions by doctors in the State service, for private patients, while similar prescriptions by the same doctors for State patients can be disallowed.

Mr. Bevan

A doctor in the service, who prescribes for patients treated under the service, substances which are afterwards found not to be drugs or not to be necessary for the proper treatment of the patient, is subject to the disciplinary procedure provided in the regulations. The regulations do not, however, apply to private patients, for whom there is no prescribing at the public expense.

Sir W. Wakefield

Is it not clear, therefore, that what the Minister is now doing is to deprive private patients of the right to go to doctors, even though they be in the State service, by disallowing them the right to have pharmaceutical services?

Mr. Bevan

I am not prepared to allow public money to be spent on any form of activity where we shall not have the power to correct abuses.