§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will now enable dispensing doctors and hospital pharmacies to operate under the NHS drug-testing scheme; and if she will make a statement.
§ Dr. OwenNo. The purpose of this scheme is to test whether a medicine has been dispensed in accordance with the prescription form. In the case of dispensing doctors this would not be practicable, since a written prescription may not be available for comparison.
In relation to hospitals and clinics, I do not consider it would be appropriate to extend arrangements designed for the independent family practitioner service so as to duplicate the health authorities' management responsibilities for monitoring the activities of their employees.