§ Miss Emma NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of Stale for Health if he will introduce legislation to permit limited prescribing rights for nurses.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[pursuant to the reply 23 January 1991, c. 220]: The Government support the general principle of nurse prescribing endorsed by the advisory group on nurse prescribing but there is more work to do before the final proposals can be agreed and legislation introduced.
The report of the advisory group was published and issued for comment in December 1989, and the consultation period ended on 30 April 1990. In total 330 responses were received from the four United Kingdom countries. These included replies from health authorities, family health services authorities, medical, pharmaceutical and nursing organisations, individual nurses, trade unions and pharmaceutical companies. Commentators generally welcomed the report and supported its recommendations.
The report and comments identified various issues which require further work, in particular the economic implications, education and training needs, the development of a formulary, administrative arrangements and legal implications. Clearly, implementation depends upon sorting out these issues. The Department intends shortly to announce details of the independent cost benefit analysis of the advisory group's proposals which we are commissioning. Work is also being carried forward in all the other areas.
An interim report from the cost benefit analysis should be available in the spring of 1992. Depending upon the nature of the results, we would hope to introduce legislation as soon as a suitable opportunity arises.