§ Mr. SayeedTo ask the Secretary of State for Health why it was decided to retain a cost plus system of remuneration and year-end review for medical practitioners and to terminate arrangements for community pharmacy contractors in England and Wales.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe arrangements for determining the remuneration of the professions providing family practitioner services are designed to reflect the different circumstances of each profession. The "cost plus" system of determining pharmacists' remuneration was brought to an end last year because it provided insufficient incentives to efficiency in the dispensing of medicines. We expect the measures contained in the White Papers "Promoting Better Health" and "Working for Patients" to improve value for money and raise standards of care in general practice.