§ Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what choice is open to patients to have prescriptions dispensed by a dispensing doctor; [119725]
(2) if he will amend the terms of the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992 to enable patients living within one mile of a pharmacy to have the choice of having prescriptions dispensed by a dispensing doctor; and if he will make a statement. [119726]
§ Ms StuartPatients may have their prescriptions dispensed by their general practitioner if they live in controlled localities (that is to say, rural areas), more than one mile from the nearest pharmacy and the practitioners have been granted permission by their health authority to dispense prescriptions. Other patients may also apply to the health authority for their doctor to dispense their prescriptions if the patients experience serious difficulty in obtaining their medicines from a pharmacy due to the distance involved or lack of transport. We have no plans to permit doctors to dispense to other patients.