§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their policy towards dispensing by general practitioners in Wales.
Viscount St. DavidsIt is our policy that dispensing which forms part of the provision of pharmaceutical services under the National Health Service should in general be undertaken by community pharmacists. However, we recognise that there will be instances where dispensing by general medical practitioners may be in patients' interests.
The present arrangements allow doctors to dispense for patients who live in a rural area not served by a pharmacy; or who would have serious difficulty in obtaining necessary medication from a pharmacy. We believe that it is reasonable to allow doctors to dispense in these instances as an exception to the general rule, provided that the provision of pharmaceutical services is not thereby prejudiced.