§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what cash increase had been allowed to general practioners in Wales in their indicative dry budget in 1991 and 1992 as compared with their dry expenditure in 1990; and on what basis it is computed.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettThe indicative amounts which, in accordance with section 18 of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990, family health services authorities specify for GP practices' prescribing are not cash budgets.
In setting the indicative amounts for 1991–92, FHSAs have used as the starting point the basic price of drugs prescribed by and dispensed for each practice in 1989–90. This figure has been adjusted by a national—England and Wales—uplift factor to take account of changes such as those in the price of drugs. Each FHSA's medical adviser will then have considered whether the resultant figure for each practice appeared to be justifiable on clinical grounds and will have taken into account any new factors which might bear upon the prescribing of that practice. All GP practices will have been offered the opportunity to discuss their indicative amounts with the responsible FHSA's medical adviser.
The assignment of an indicative amount will not prevent any GP from prescribing the drugs which their patients need.