§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what provision the national health service makes for patients awaiting organ transplants requiring multiple prescriptions who are disqualified from free prescriptions because they are above income support levels, what plans she has to revise the specified conditions list to make patients awaiting organ transplants exempt from 413W prescription charges either totally or above a specified level; and if she will make a statement; [19038]
(2) when the last review of the specified conditions list was carried out; on what date changes resulting from this review were implemented; how the review and its implementation impacted on those awaiting organ transplants; how the review and its implementation impacted upon those whose medical condition precludes the reasonable prospect of an organ transplant; and if she will make a statement. [19036]
§ Mr. MalonePatients awaiting organ transplants who are not otherwise exempt or entitled to charge remission may qualify for free prescriptions if they have any one of the specified medical conditions, including a permanent fistula requiring continuous surgical dressing or an appliance, and hold an exemption certificate issued by a family health services authority. The specified medical conditions were last reviewed in 1993 as part of the fundamental review of health expenditure and we have
£1000s 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 UK Foreign UK Foreign UK Foreign Central Department 1,497 11,253 1,456 39 1,379 80 Agencies NHS Estates2 148 3 260 — 221 28 Medicines ControlAgency2 78 158 85 252 92 173 NHS Pensions Agency 12 — 26 — 23 — Medical Devices Agency3 — — — — 21 — Notes:
1 This figure includes the cost of foreign travel as well as subsistence as these were not separately identified in 1992–93.
2 The figures for NHS Estates and the Medicines Control Agency include the cost of travel as well as subsistence as these are not separately identified.
3 The Medical Devices Agency was established on 27 September 1994. The figures for 1994–95 reported for the agency were for 27 September 1994 to 31 March 1995 only. Prior to this, its figures were included in those for the central Department.