§ Dr. Evan Harris:To ask the Secretary of State for Health what safeguards are in place to prevent patients using walk-in centres to gain access to prescription drugs without visiting or informing their GP. [128912]
§ Mr. Hutton:All prescribing or supply of medicines at national health service walk-in centres is undertaken by qualified independent prescribers, or within clinical protocols set by patient group directions. In addition, clinical information is normally shared with the patient's general practitioner.
§ Dr. Evan Harris:To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reviews he has commissioned into NHS walk-in centres and their impact on demand on other health services; and if he will place copies of the reviews in the Library. [128914]
§ Mr. Hutton:An independent evaluation of national health service walk-in centres was published by Bristol University in July 2002. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.
§ Dr. Evan Harris:To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses have been employed in walk-in centres in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each strategic health authority in each year since walk-in centres were first established. [128915]
§ Mr. Hutton:National health service walk-in centres are managed locally by their host primary care trust or NHS trust. Information on staff numbers is not held centrally.