§ Mr. ThorntonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the policy of his Department as to the grounds on which hospitals and general practices should make decisions to use particular medicines on clinical grounds and as to the use of preferred treatment lists to promote rational prescribing rather than budget savings.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyBoth hospital clinicians and general practitioners are free to prescribe the drug which in their clinical judgment best suits the patient and the condition. The Department encourages clinicians to develop formularies of preferred treatments in order to promote rational and cost effective prescribing.
110W
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made on the introduction of limited rights of prescribing for nurses.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyWe are to commission an independent analysis of the costs and benefits of implementing the proposals of the advisory group on nurse prescribing.