§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated cost of(a) a visit by a health visitor to administer insulin to a diabetic and (b) self-administration using a Novopen, including the cost of the Novo needle.
§ Dr. MawhinneyInformation on the cost of a visit by a health visitor is not held centrally. The element of the cost of self-administration attributable to a Novopen and needle is commercial-in-confidence. However, many diabetics use disposable syringes to inject themselves with insulin and these are already prescribable. The use of injection pens and needles entails a real additional cost to the taxpayer. This factor has to be taken into account when considering whether to authorise their prescribing by GPs.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will make it her policy that Novo needles shall be available on prescription for people who suffer from diabetes and require insulin treatment.
§ Dr. MawhinneyWe are continuing to consider the case for authorising general practitioners to prescribe both insulin injection pens and needles but, in reaching a final decision, we shall need to take into account current public expenditure constraints.