§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many refrigerators have been supplied to patients under the National Health Service to store insulin and other drugs in their homes; and under what statutory provisions these have been supplied.
§ Mr. John PattenSection 3(1)(e) of the National Health Service Act 1977 allows health authorities to supply refrigerators, where no suitable alternative is available, for the purpose of storing the few drugs which are kept by patients at home and require refrigeration. I am advised that this should not be necessary for insulin. The number of refrigerators supplied in this way is not recorded centrally, but an authority would exercise this power only if the consultant in charge of the case felt it was clinically necessary and if funds were available to pay for it.