HC Deb 23 July 1996 vol 282 cc218-9W
Mr. Congdon

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if the drugs and preparations listed in each therapeutic area covered by Prodigy match those in the British National Formulary. [38271]

(2) what assessment he has made of the choice provided to general practitioners by the Prodigy system in each therapeutic area; [38272]

(3) if at the preparation stage of the database incorporated into Prodigy, and before the list was reviewed by the Royal College's (a) medical experts in particular therapeutic areas and (b) patients and patients group were given the opportunity to provide input into the preparation of the drugs list specific to those areas. [38274]

Mr. Malone

The therapeutic recommendations used for phase 1 of the Prodigy trial were intended to permit a realistic test of the concept of computerised decision support for general practitioner prescribing. To ensure that they were suitable for this purpose and had the support of a substantial body of medical opinion, an expert group nominated by the Royal College of General Practitioners, the Royal College of Physicians, the General Medical Services Committee of the British Medical Association, and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, was commissioned to validate them. A number of sources were used including the British National Formulary. The recommendations will be further developed in the course of the trial in the light of comments from the GPs participating.

If at the end of the trial it is decided to develop a system for more widespread use, based on the experience gathered in the Prodigy trial, there will be extensive consultation in which all interested parties will have the opportunity to provide input.

Mr. Congdon

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress with the pilot study of the Prodigy system. [38273]

Mr. Malone

Phase 1 of the Prodigy project on computerised decision support for general practitioner prescribing has been running in 140 GP practices since the end of 1995. An interim report, together with hard copy of the therapeutic advice and prescribing recommendations used in the initial phase of the evaluation, will be published next week; copies will be placed in the Library.