§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations have been made to him for elastic support hose to be prescribed under the drug tariff regulations; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FairgrieveI have received one letter on the subject.
A range of surgical elastic hosiery giving the medically required degree of 42W support for the treatment of most varicose conditions is already prescribable by general practitioners, and any other type of support garment required on clinical grounds may be supplied through the hospital service.
Support hosiery of the kind generally sold over the counter to the public is not prescribable. Any change in the arrangements would be likely to result in additional expenditure for the Health Service without clinical justification.