HC Deb 08 March 2004 vol 418 cc1336-8W
John Cryer

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library copies of responses to the consultation on proposals to reform and modernise the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992 in relation to the proposed exemption of large shopping developments from the control of entry requirements for retail pharmacy services. [157513]

Ms Rosie Winterton

[holding answer 1 March 2004]: Copies of 274 responses received in respect of the Department's consultation on proposals to reform and modernise the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992, including those responses commenting on the proposed exemption from the control of entry requirements for pharmacy applications in respect of large shopping developments over 15,000 square metres gross lettable floor space, will be placed in the Library.

Responses received in confidence have not been placed in the Library under exemption 14 (Information given in confidence) of Part 2 of the Open Government Code of Practice.

We intend to publish a summary of these responses in due course.

Sandra Gidley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the rate of inappropriate prescribing among those(a) under 65 years and (b) 65 years and over, broken down by gender, in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [157376]

Dr. Ladyman

We do not collect data centrally to make such an assessment.

Mr. Truswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those medical conditions whose sufferers qualify for free prescriptions; and what the cost to the NHS was in 2003–04 in respect of each condition. [158256]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The medical conditions conferring exemption from prescription charges are: Permanent fistula (including caecostomy, colostomy, laryngostomy, or ileostomy) requiring continuous surgical dressing or an appliance;

The following disorders:

  • Forms of hypoadrenalism (including Addison's disease) for which specific substitution therapy is essential;
  • Diabetes insipidus and other forms of hypopituitarism,
  • Diabetes mellitus—except where treatment is by diet alone;
  • Hypoparathyroidism;
  • Myasthenia gravis;
  • Myxoedema;
  • Epilepsy requiring continuous anti-convulsive therapy;
  • A continuing physical disability which prevents the patient from leaving his residence without the help of another person.

In 2002–03, 38.2 million prescription items were dispensed in the community in England to holders of a medical exemption certificate. This represents charge revenue foregone of around £236.8 million. Information in respect of each condition is not available and information for 2003–04 is not yet available.

Mr. Truswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the medical conditions about which representations have been made to his Department in the last three years proposing the granting of free drug prescriptions to sufferers of those conditions; and what his estimate is of the cost of free prescriptions in respect of each of these conditions. [158257]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The following list of conditions (as described by the person making the representations) have been identified as the subject of representations in respect of free prescriptions between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2003.

  • Anhydrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia
  • Arthritis
  • Asthma
  • Bartter's Syndrome
  • Behcet's Syndrome
  • Budd-Chiari Syndrome
  • Cancer
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Chronic Bronchitis
  • Coeliac Disease
  • Colitis
  • Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
  • Crohns Disease
  • Cystic Fibrosis
  • Depression
  • Dermatomyositis
  • Diabetes (controlled by diet alone)
  • Disabilities (nature unspecified)
  • Dopa-responsive Dystonia
  • Downs Syndrome Dystonia
  • Eczema
  • Emphysema
  • Glaucoma
  • Heart Disease
  • Hepatitis
  • High Blood Pressure
    • 1338W
  • Hodgkins Disease
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy
  • Hypogonadism
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Kidney Failure
  • Klinefelter's Syndrome
  • Leukaemia
  • Liver Failure/Disease
  • Lund Disease
  • Lupus
  • Malignant Brain Tumour
  • Mental Illness
  • Motor Neurone Disease
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Myositis Disease
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Overactive Thyroid
  • Pancreatic Defects
  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Phenylketonuria
  • Premature Ovarian Failure
  • Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
  • Primary Thrombocythaemia
  • Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Renal Failure
  • Schizophrenia
  • Sickle Cell Anaemia
  • Systematic Lupus Erythematosus
  • Thalassemia
  • Tourette's Syndrome
  • Transplant Patients
  • Tuberculosis
  • Turners Syndrome
  • Wegener's Granulomatosis

No estimates have been made of the cost of free prescriptions in respect of each of these conditions.