§ 53. Mr. Patrick ThompsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances a general practitioner will be penalised for exceeding his or her indicative drug budget.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyGeneral practitioners who exceed their indicative prescribing budget will not face sanctions on that fact alone. Only where, as now, there is clear evidence of excessive prescribing will the matter be referred for consideration by a professional committee. If the professional committee decides there has been excessive prescribing, the FPC will decide what, if any, financial withholding should be applied. We expect that the application of sanctions will be a process of last resort and will not be commonplace. We intend to publish shortly a second document about the operation of indicative prescribing budgets. This will include detailed information on the sanctions process.
§ 132. Mr. Andrew MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent the costs of elderly and chronically ill patients will be reflected in the proposed indicative drug budgets.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyIndicative prescribing budgets will take full account of the costs of elderly and chronically sick patients. Indicative prescribing budgets will, initially, be set largely on historic prescribing patterns which already reflect the fact that elderly and chronically sick patients need greater quantities of medicines than others. Practices will be able to discuss their individual budget requirements, including the needs of their elderly and chronically sick patients, with the FPC's medical adviser in advance of the budget being set. This will ensure that the budget is set at a level which takes full account of the needs of the practice and its patients. There will be no financial disincentive for practices to treat such patients or to accept such patients on to their lists.