§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) for what reason it is his Department's policy that separate charges are made when a doctor in Wales prescribes a course of treatment which involves two active ingredients when the ingredients are packaged as a single entity by the manufacturers;
(2) for what reason it is his Department's policy that a single charge is made when a doctor in Wales prescribes a course of treatment which involves two active ingredients when the ingredients are formulated together in a single package.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettThe National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliance) Regulations 1989 provide that a prescription charge is payable in respect of each quantity of a drug or appliance dispensed unless the patient is exempt. Where two or more ingredients are supplied in a single tablet or capsule, a single charge is made. If, for the convenience of the patient and to improve compliance, two or more kinds of tablet or capsule are supplied in one package, each carries a separate prescription charge.
The Government are concerned to ensure that patient's liability to meet prescription charges is applied in an equitable manner. It would not be appropriate to allow manufacturers' packaging arrangements, which provide a benefit to some patients, also to determine the number of charges a patient may have to pay.