§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospitals in the National Health Service are known to operate a drug formulary system; how many district health authorities have a system which applies to all their hospitals; how many regional health authorities have a policy on hospital drug formularies; and what is the policy of his Department on the use of such formularies.
§ Mr. NewtonFigures giving the number of hospitals using drug formularies and their distribution within the National Health Service are not held centrally. The introduction of a hospital drug formulary is a matter for district health authorities in the light of local circumstances.
To promote the rational and economical use of drug therapy the Department has encouraged the formation of local multidisciplinary drug and therapeutic committees. In appropriate circumstances the use of hospital drug formularies is one of the means these committees adopt to achieve this objective.