§ Dr. MarekTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment she has made of the annual saving achieved in the NHS hospital sector by general practitioners' prescribing of oral contraceptives in respect of prevention of unwanted pregnancies and of abortions;
(2) what assessment she has made of the annual savings achieved in the NHS hospital sector by general practitioners' prescribing of (a) anti-hypertensive medicines, (b) medicines for treatment of late onset diabetes, (c) medicines for treatment of psoriasis and eczema and (d)medicines for the treatment of peptic ulcers.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe Department has made no such specific assessment. General practitioners are aware that the cost-effective use of drugs can lead both to better patient care and to financial savings elsewhere in the national health service and in the public sector generally. 599W Policies on prescribing are designed to encourage such cost-effective prescribing while maintaining the pressure to cut out wasteful expenditure on drugs.