HC Deb 22 May 1974 vol 874 c194W
Mr. Arnold Shaw

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of clerical grade officers and senior officers employed by the Essex Executive Council in 1973 to check the exemption from prescription charges; what was their estimated annual cost; what was the number of prescriptions checked during that year; what was the number of patients found not to have been entitled to exemption; and what was the total of the charge recovered from those patients.

Dr. Owen

In terms of whole-time equivalents, half of a higher clerical officer and two clerical grade officers at an anual cost of about £3,500; checks-were completed on about 21,300 prescription forms; 133 patients were found to be not entitled to exemption and £4770 was recovered from them.