§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) in the year 1994–95, how many NHS prescriptions were dispensed for prescription-only medicines at the relevant standard charge which could have been purchased on private prescription at less than the relevant standard charge; [8620]
(2) in the year 1994–95, how many prescriptions were dispensed at the relevant standard charge. [8621]
§ Mr. MaloneWhen an item is dispensed privately, the pharmacist may add a private dispensing fee to the cost of the medicine. The amount of that fee is at the pharmacist's discretion. It is not therefore possible to calculate the number of prescription items which would, if purchased as private prescriptions, cost less than the NHS prescription charge.
In England in 1994–95, it is estimated that 50.7 million prescription items were charged at the point of dispensing.