§ Sir Dudley SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations she had with the Royal College of General Practitioners prior to her announcement of the extension of the limited list to further therapeutic categories.
§ Dr. MawhinneyNo such consultations took place as the changes do not affect the basic structure of the selected list scheme which has been in operation since 1985.
§ Mr. MurphyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to publish her proposals regarding the limited cost of drugs to be used in the NHS.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe timing of the publication of proposals for removing particular drugs in the new categories from national health service prescription will depend on when we receive advice from the advisory committee on NHS drugs.
§ Sir Dudley SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what savings to the NHS medicines bill were achieved in each of the therapeutic categories covered by the limited list of 1985(a) in the first year and (b) in each year since 1985;
(2) what savings in the NHS medicines bill she expects to achieve by the extension of the limited list to further therapeutic categories in the years 1993–94 and 1994–95.
§ Dr. MawhinneyIt is estimated that the selected list scheme saved £75 million on the drugs bill in 1985–86. The estimated savings in each of the seven therapeutic groups were:
383W
£ million Coughs and cold remedies 22 Analgesics for mild to moderate pain 19 Indigestion remedies 8
£ million Vitamins 7.5 Laxatives 2 Tonics 1 Benzodiazepine sedatives and tranquillisers 15.5 It is not possible to make meaningful estimates for subsequent years, but we have every reason to believe that the scheme has resulted in continuing downward pressure on the drugs bill. We cannot predict what savings will be made as a result of the recently announced extension to the scheme. This will depend on the recommendations of the independent advisory committee on national health service drugs.