§ 54. Mr. Turtonasked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement on his discussions concerning the dispensing of prescriptions by general practitioners in the National Health Service.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonDiscussions on the future arrangements for dispensing by doctors are taking place with representatives of the medical and pharmaceutical professions. The Government's proposals were set out in the Third Report of the Joint Discussions on the Family Doctor Service published last May.
§ Mr. TurtonIs the Minister aware that these discussions have taken a terribly long time? Is he aware that the delay in making an announcement of the result of the discussions is arousing suspicion among rural pharmacists, doctors who at present dispense, and particularly among patients who live in remote areas?
§ Mr. RobinsonIf those suspicions exist, they are exceedingly ill founded, because the representatives of the general practitioners have only recently informed me of their views both on the circumstances in which a doctor should dispense and on the question of remuneration.