§ 29. Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present number of doctors and administrators employed by his Department and regional health authorities who are engaged in checking prescription forms and general practitioner prescribing.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe principal responsibility for processing general practitioner prescriptions once they have been dispensed rests with the Prescription Pricing Authority, a special health authority. It employs approximately 2,000 staff, mainly in clerical grades, none of whom are doctors.
Our Department's regional medical service, which has a staff of 41 doctors in post supported by 153 administrative and clerical staff, has the principal responsibility for monitoring the prescribing practices of general practitioners.
Other staff both in family practitioner committees and within the Department have duties related to prescriptions and prescribing.
No RHA staff are involved in handling prescriptions written by general medical practitioners.