§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the members of the advisory committee on NHS drugs.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe advisory committee members are:
Title Chairman Dr. J. S. Metters Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health Members Professor A. M. Breckenridge Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Liverpool Professor C. M. Castleden Professor of Medicine for the Elderly, University of Leicester Mr. D. L. Coleman Community Pharmacist, Norfolk Professor H. D. Edmondson Professor of Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine, Dental School, University of Birmingham Professor D. Ganderton Visiting Professor in Pharmacy, King's College, London, Chairman of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission Dr. I. C. Heath General Practitioner, London Dr. D. F. Jones General Practitioner, South Wales Professor R. M. Jones Professor of Anaesthetists, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London Mr. A. G. Kerr Consultant ENT Surgeon, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast Dr. E. M. E. Poskitt Senior Lecturer in Child Health, Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital Dr. S. J. Richards General Practitioner, Exeter Dr. C. H. J. Swan Consultant Physician (Gastroenterology), City General Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent Professor P. J. Tyrer Professor of Community Psychiatry, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London Dr. D. M. B. Ward General Practitioner, Glasgow We are consulting professional organisations about appointing new members to the committee to advise on the categories of drug to which the selected list arrangements have recently been extended.
§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the terms of reference of the advisory committee on NHS drugs.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe current terms of reference are
To advise the UK Health Ministers about the composition of schedules 10 and 11 to the NHS (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992, and the corresponding schedules in the Regulations in Scotland and Northern Ireland (except those items which are in Schedule 10 because the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances has advised that they are not considered drugs in the circumstances of general practice) in order that drugs to meet all real clinical needs at the lowest possible cost to the NHS are available in the following categories: mild to moderate pain-killers, indigestion remedies, laxatives, cough and cold remedies, vitamins, tonics and benzodiazepine sedatives and tranquillisers.These are currently being reviewed in the light of the changes announced on 12 November and the revised terms of reference will be announced as soon as possible.
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§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to receive the first recommendations of the advisory committee on NHS drugs on the 10 additional therapeutic categories announced on 12 November.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe advisory committee will be considering drugs within the new categories as soon as practicable. As now, in examining particular drugs they will consult fully with the manufacturers. Changes to the list of non-prescribable drugs will be made progressively over the next year.