§ Mr. Michael Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his answer of 31 January, Official Report, column 298, if he will now list in ascending order the number of prescription items per capita for each member country of the Council of Europe.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeFigures are not available for each member country of the Council of Europe. Those that are available come from a variety of non-official sources, relate to different years and are not directly comparable because of the many factors which influence prescribing such as different eligibility rules and public subsidy arrangements. The most recent figures available for prescription items per capita per year are:
Numbers Netherlands 4.0 Sweden 4.8 United Kingdom 6.6 Denmark 7.8 Belgium 9.0 Spain 9.6 France 10.0 West Germany 11.2 Italy 11.3 Ireland 11.9 For the reasons set out above, no great significance should be attached to these figures.
§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to encourage dose-related quantities on prescriptions.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe National Health Service prescription form (FP10) contains a box which doctors can use to specify the period for which a drug is to be provided. We reminded all doctors of this facility and encouraged them to use it in a leaflet sent to them in 1983.
§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will advise general practitioners to issue triple prescriptions whereby the patient receives three prescriptions each for one month in place of obtaining a three months' supply.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe see no need for such specific advice. Doctors have been asked to consider economy and safety when making prescribing decisions and they do not need reminding that they are free to issue multiple prescriptions in appropriate cases.