§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to hold centrally records on42W the numbers of pharmacists who have been dismissed by his Department as a result of engaging in the practice of fraudulently collecting a prescription fee from a customer and ticking the exempt box on the prescription form; and if he will make a statement. [39509]
§ Mr. MalonePharmacists are not employed by the Department of Health but are under contract to individual family health services authorities. FHSAs are responsible for taking action against any pharmacist found to be engaging in fraudulent activities. Details of such cases are not available centrally.
Since 1 April 1995 all patients presenting prescriptions for dispensing have been asked to sign the declaration on the back of the prescription form indicating the category of exemption claimed or the amount of the charge they have paid.