HC Deb 26 October 1989 vol 158 cc532-3W
Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what element of cost benefit analysis will be included in the indicative drug budgets proposed in "Working for Patients".

Mr. Mellor

The main purpose of indicative prescribing budgets is to encourage more cost-effective prescribing through more critical analysis of prescribed patterns. In consequence I expect cost benefit studies in this area to become more commonplace following the introduction of the scheme and that the results will be disseminated to general medical practitioners to help them to decide what is the most cost-effective form of treatment for each patient.