§ Sir A. Bossomasked the Minister of Health what advice he gives to National Health Service doctors in his notes on prescriptions in regard to the prescribing 54W of fortified wines, including port, for convalescent invalids in appropriate cases; and how much port has been so prescribed in recent years.
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganThe National Health Service Act does not provide for the supply, on the prescription of a general practitioner, of preparations which are not drugs or medicines and an independent Advisory Committee has recommended that alcoholic beverages should normally be regarded as foods and not as drugs. Alcoholic beverages may be prescribed for individual patients in hospital as an item of diet where the doctor in charge of the patient considers this desirable on medical grounds. No case has come to my right hon. Friend's notice in which port wine has been prescribed.