HC Deb 19 March 1953 vol 513 cc192-4
10. Mr. G. Jeger

asked the Minister of Health whether he will allow private patients to obtain drugs prescribed by their doctor on a parity with people in the State scheme.

Miss Hornsby-Smith

This is not possible under the provisions of the National Health Service Act, 1946.

Mr. Jeger

Does the hon. Lady not recognise the wording of the Question, which was taken directly from one of the pledges made by the Conservative Party in the days of their more carefree irresponsibility, and will she take note of how glad we are to add this to the long list of broken pledges?

Sir Edward Keeling

Can my hon. Friend state what the net cost of this would be after allowing for the shilling prescription charge? Has she worked it out?

Miss Hornsby-Smith

My hon. Friend will not expect me to answer that question without notice.

15. Mr. Blenkinsop

asked the Minister of Health the estimated average number of prescriptions on each form and the average cost of each prescription at the latest available date; and how these figures compare with those before the introduction of the prescription charge.

Miss Hornsby-Smith

In England and Wales the estimated average number per form was 1.71 in February, 1953, 1.57 in May, 1952, and 1.59 in February, 1952. The estimated average cost was about 4s. 2½d. in December, 1952, compared with an average cost of 4s. 1¼d. in May, 1952, and 3s. 10½d. in December, 1951.

Mr. Blenkinsop

Will the hon. Lady agree that this figure suggests that the prescription charge has added to the cost per prescription in many cases, and has encouraged doctors, for understandable reasons, to add to the amount of drugs prescribed, and thereby increased considerably the amount of wastage?

Miss Hornsby-Smith

My right hon. Friend cannot accept that as the sole explanation. The main cause is increasing prescribing of expensive new drugs.

Mr. Blenkinsop

Is the hon. Lady not aware that more items are being put on the prescriptions and that the quantities are also increasing? Is she aware that this is a matter of some concern if we are concerned at all about the question of wastage? Large bottles of medicine and large tins of pills are apt to go down the drain even faster.