HC Deb 16 October 1952 vol 505 cc368-71
22. Dr. Stross

asked the Minister of Health whether he will now make a statement on the deterrent effect of the recently imposed charges in the Health Service; and if he will give an estimate of the current financial saving effected.

Mr. Iain Macleod

These charges have led to some fall in the demand for drugs and to other savings in costs, but it is too early as yet to make an estimate of the financial savings likely to be effected.

Dr. Stross

Would it be fair to say that the Minister's answer suggests that the deterrent effect of the charges preventing people from attending for diagnosis and treatment may contribute a major part of the saving compared with the charges and cash receipts? If he finds that that is so and that children are being debarred from diagnosis and treatment will he review the whole matter?

Mr. Macleod

I am keeping the matter constantly under review. I am circulating an answer to Question No. 25 giving the very fullest details, and perhaps the hon. Member will study it.

25. Mr. Peter Freeman

asked the Minister of Health to give comparable figures of the number of prescriptions issued for dental treatment, surgical boots, spectacles and other articles pro-

— 1951 1952
June July Aug. Sept. June July Aug. Sept.
Prescriptions:
Prescriptions presented for dispensing by chemists (to nearest ¼ million) (Note 1) 17m. 16¼m. 15m. — 14½m. 15½m. 14m. —
Dental Treatment (Note 2):
Completed Courses of dental treatment under normal procedure (other than for the provision of dentures, to which the 1952 charges do not apply):
To the nearest '000 (Note 3) 354 332 380 378 372 361 406 366
Courses for limited treatment provided under simplified procedure:
To the nearest '000 (Note 4) 209 228 302 242 151 124 144 117
Appliances (Note 5):
Surgical boots (number of pairs) 4,003 3,533 3,398 3,594 2,569 2,479 5,537
Abdominal supports 8,874 9,636 7,311 7,315 5,311 4,221 8,865
Wigs 715 729 604 698 434 429 918
Elastic Hosiery ordered through the hospital service (numbers or orders) 2,954 2,901 2,736 2,951 2,450 2,354 5,107

NOTES

1. Includes elastic hosiery prescribed by general practitioners. There are no separate statistics for prescriptions issued by hospital outpatient departments.

2. The monthly figures are based on weekly returns. In the figures shown, June, July and September include four weeks' and August five weeks' returns.

3. The figures of completed courses of dental treatment during the four months include the holiday season and relate to the dates at which dentists, having completed treatment, apply for payment; a number of the courses included in these figures were started in the period before the charges came into operation.

4. The courses for limited treatment, which consist largely of extractions of one or two teeth, usually cost under £1 and since patients would have to pay the whole cost under the National Health Service, many may be assumed to have had the treatment privately.

5. Separate figures for August and September for these items are not available. The figures include appliances ordered as replacements.

vided by the National Health Service before and after the new charges were enforced.

Mr. Iain Macleod

No new charges for spectacles were introduced under the National Health Service Act, 1952. With permission I will circulate the reply to the rest of the Question, which is largely statistical, in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Freeman

Has the right hon. Gentleman any evidence that there has been no undue suffering or deterioration in health as a result of the efforts in these directions to make economies?

Mr. Macleod

I have no such evidence.

Following is the information: Comparison of the demand for drugs, dental treatment and appliances under the National Health Service during the four months June to September, 1952, following the introduction of charges on 1st June, 1952, under the National Health Service Amending Act, 1952, with the demand in the corresponding period of 1951.
29. Mr. J. Paton

asked the Minister of Health what regulations he has made for refunding the difference when National Health prescriptions cost less than 1s.

Mr. Iain Macleod

None, Sir.

Mr. Paton

Is it not wholly wrong that a worker should have to pay a 1s. fee on a prescription for 3d. worth of permanganate of potash? Who gets the benefits from an overcharge of that description?

Mr. Macleod

If the hon. Member likes to take the example he has given of 3d. worth of permanganate of potash, he will have to add 25 per cent. on cost, a minimum dispensing fee of 4d. and a container fee, bringing the total to between 10d. and 11d.