HC Deb 04 February 1997 vol 289 cc594-5W
Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the Prodigy programme takes into account individual patient needs. [13814]

Mr. Malone

The assessment of individual patient needs is a matter for the clinical judgment of the general practitioner concerned. The Prodigy clinical recommendations take account of systematic factors, where relevant, such as age, sex and co-morbidity. General practitioners are under no obligation to accept any recommendation advised by the Prodigy system and are free to prescribe any treatment they see fit.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what systems other than Prodigy for computer-based decision support for general practitioners are under consideration by his Department. [13812]

Mr. Malone

We are happy to consider any system which satisfies the system specification. We are, under the umbrella of Prodigy, testing a wide range of systems with five major general practitioner computing suppliers who maintain seven different clinical systems.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on research on the outcomes for patients resulting from the Prodigy programme. [13811]

Mr. Malone

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Barron) on 12 November 1996,Official Report, columns 155–56.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place to enable the Prodigy programme to ensure full and immediate access to innovations in therapy and new medicines. [13813]

Mr. Malone

A working party has been drawn together to advise Ministers on a process to develop and update a clinical guidance base for general practitioners' decision support. As part of its remit, we would expect the working party to look at access to innovative treatments and additions of new drugs to the Prodigy system. The first meeting of the working party is planned for spring 1997 and its report will be expected in the autumn.

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