§ Mr. TredinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to ensure that the cost-effectiveness and value of natural medicines are known to health authorities, hospitals, doctors and community health organisations.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe Department sponsors work on cost-effectiveness of interventions in various universities and is currently funding a team of researchers from York and Leeds universities to produce a series of "effectiveness bulletins" to provide information for the national health service. Information bulletins are also produced by the medicines resources centre which provide data on the clinical impact of various pharmaceuticals and their costs of administration. This work is of recent origin and currently covers only a small proportion of interventions. So far, there has been no work on natural medicines, but it is not ruled out in the future.
§ Mr. TredinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how natural medicines will be incorporated into the strategy behind the Government White Paper, "The Health of the Nation".
§ Mr. SackvilleThe national health service, in partnership with voluntary and other organisations, may adopt a variety of approaches in meeting the targets set in the five key areas selected initially for development of "The Health of the Nation" strategy. Natural therapies may be incorporated in local programmes where they are considered appropriate and cost-effective.