§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what savings to the National Health Service he anticipates through the privatisation of pharmaceutical provisions in the Swindon health area.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeAll over the country, the dispensing of prescriptions issued by general practitioners is normally undertaken by independent contractors. At present the provision of pharmaceutical services at the Milton road health centre Swindon is by the Swindon health authority because it is one of three places in England where local authorities have inherited pre-1948 arrangements.
I am at the moment considering the future of these services when the health centre closes and is replaced by a new one at Fleming way. I shall be writing to the chairman of the health authority in due course.
§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what savings to the National Health Service through the use of private firms to deal with the laundry service in the Barrow health district he expects; and why he has not agreed to a new National Health Service laundry facility to serve that locality.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeHealth authorities which are planning substantial capital investment on laundry facilities are required to go out to competitive tender to test which is the most cost-effective means of delivering the service. South Cumbria health authority is now in the process of inviting tenders, including an in-house tender, for its laundry service. Until that tendering exercise has been completed, we cannot determine the amount of any savings which might be made.