§ Mr. Michael Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if all persons providing pharmaceutical services and listed according to the provisions of section 42 of the National Health Service Act 1977 will continue to be able to dispense National Health Service prescriptions under the regulations he plans to make under section 3 of the National Health Service (Amendment) Act 1986; if any applications for listings made prior to the coming into force of section 3 of the 1986 Act will be dealt with under the provisions of the 1977 Act; and if any financial arrangements he makes for the voluntary removal of a person's name from the list will apply to all persons listed at the time that section 3 of the 1986 Act comes into force.
§ Mr. NewtonChanges introduced by the new arrangements for allocating National Health Service pharmacy contracts will not affect current contract holders unless they decide to relocate their business. Applications made before the new arrangements come into force will be considered under the present arrangements. Final decisions have not yet been taken on the details of the arrangements for payments to those who wish to withdraw from their NHS contract but only a minority of current contract holders will be eligible.
§ Mr. Michael Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has recived from the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee of the number of pharmacies which are expected to claim compensation for the surrender of their right to dispense National Health Service prescriptions.
§ Mr. NewtonNo such estimate has been received.
§ Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has on the extent to which National Health Service hospital pharmacies are recommending the use of local pharmacies.
§ Mr. NewtonGuidance from the Department has set out for health authorities the limited circumstances in which they may transfer dispensing from hospital pharmacies to community pharmacies.
We do not hold records of the circumstances in which individual transfers are made.
§ Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for social Services if he will make a statement on staffing levels in National Health Service hospital pharmacies.
§ Mr. NewtonIt is a matter for health authorities to determine the appropriate staffing level in their hospital pharmacies.
We expect that the difficulties which were experienced in recruiting and retaining pharmacists in the National Health Service will have been ameliorated by the pay increases which have recently been implemented.
411WI understand that the hospital pharmacists grading structure is currently under consideration by the pharmaceutical Whitley council.