§ Mr. Peter GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements exist for the return to pharmacies of medicinal drugs prescribed and supplied to national health service patients but not taken.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyNo formal arrangements exist for the return to pharmacies of unused medicines, but all pharmacies accept such medicines for safe and appropriate destruction.
It is not considered good professional practice to use any medicines where there is uncertainty as to the quality of the medicine.
§ Mr. Peter GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what would be the estimated net saving to the national health service annually if a system for the return of unused medicinal drugs from nursing homes to pharmacies were established;
(2) what estimate his Department can make of the value of medicinal drugs prescribed and supplied to national health service patients which are not taken.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyInformation on which to base such estimates is not available.
§ Mr. Peter GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department will arrange for the return of prescription medicinal drugs from registered nursing homes to pharmacies when these drugs are not taken by the patient for reasons such as changed prescription, removal to another institution or death, if the packaging is still intact or the nature and origin of the drugs is certified by a qualified person.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe person responsible for a nursing home has a statutory duty to make adequate arrangements for the recording, safe-keeping, handling and disposal of drugs. Health authorities are responsible for ensuring that the statutory requirements are met and must inspect each home at least twice a year.
It is not considered good professional practice to use medicines where there is uncertainty as to the condition under which a medicine has been stored.
§ Sir Peter EmeryTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners in previous years, in complying with his wishes to move to use computers, applied for a grant for the installation of a computer system that was above the figure of payment set out in the published computer cost reimbursement schedule.
§ Mr. DorrellNo figures are held centrally either in respect of individual claims made by GPs or individual amounts reimbursed by family health services authorities.