§ Mr. Patrick Jenkinasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the current standards of family planning care and with the range of contraceptive pills available; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EnnalsThe further development of family planning services is and remains a priority for the National Health Service, and I shall not be satisfied until the total demand for these services is ascertained and met. In the meantime, I have no evidence to suggest that the current demand for these services is not being met. However, health authorities are expected to keep under close review all the services they provide in order to ensure proper use of their funds over the whole range of services for which they are responsible. From time to time, therefore, some changes in existing services may be made in a particular area in the interests of economy, the rationalisation of services, or the needs of other priority services, but I am confident that health authorities, before making such changes, will give full weight to the priority value which I attach to family planning services and to the need to continue to offer a full choice of service to patients and prospective patients. An example of economy may be a reduction in the range of contraceptive pills stocked at a clinic, on which the doctors would expect to be fully consulted. However, a clinic doctor is free at all times to prescribe for dispensing by a retail pharmacist any brand of pill which he judges necessary for his patient.