§ Sir D. Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether general practice pharmacists are subject to the drug testing scheme beyond its application to other dispensers and, if so, in what respects and for what reasons; and whether she proposes a review of the situation.
§ Dr. OwenThe National Health Service drug testing scheme applies only to registered pharmaceutical chemists, and other persons, firms and bodies corporate, 297W who undertake to provide general practice pharmaceutical services under the Terms of Service for Chemists in Part I of Schedule 4 of the National Health Service (General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1974. I have recently reviewed the scheme and concluded that it should continue in its present form, and that it is neither practicable to extend it to dispensing doctors nor appropriate to duplicate in this way, in relation to National Health Service hospitals and clinics, the monitoring responsibilities of the health authorities.