§ 12. Mr. Blenkinsopasked the Minister of Health what reduction there has been during the last six months in the time taken to complete payments to chemists for prescriptions under the National Health Service.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThe average time has remained unchanged.
§ Mr. Blenkinsop1s the right hon. Gentleman not very disappointed at this in view of the extra small but real recruitment he has mentioned, and particularly in view of the severe strictures that his party made upon my right hon. Friend on the delay in settling prescriptions of chemists? What further action does he propose to take?
§ Mr. MacleodI am not the least bit satisfied with the present position which, as the hon. Member admits, has been largely inherited. It is quite true that the average time has remained unchanged, but there are two other factors. A great number of extra prescriptions are being dealt with and a larger volume of work is being carried through in the same time; and, therefore, the efficiency of the Bureaux has been increasing relatively all the time.
§ Mr. LinsteadCan my right hon. Friend say whether the Bureaux have yet reached the stage where within a month they are able to price a month's prescriptions?
§ Mr. MacleodYes, that is an important point. That point has now been reached, and although we are still many months behind, we are pricing a month's prescriptions in a little under four weeks.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether he has had any further negotiations with the chemists to try to get rid of the backlog of prescriptions, in accordance with the arrangements started when my right hon. Friend was in office?
§ Mr. MacleodThere were certain negotiations going on which I hope to take up as soon as it is reasonably clear at what level the demand and the work in the Pricing Bureaux will settle when the prescription charge has been running for some time.