§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the medicines listed in the Prodigy project are(a) generic and (b) brand-named; and how this balance was reached. [18736]
§ Mr. MaloneI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, North-East (Mr. Congdon) on 19 December 1995, columns1154–55.
§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on the establishment of a national formulary for prescribing, and if he intends the Prodigy project to be a pilot for a formulary. [18727]
§ Mr. MaloneThere are no plans to establish a national prescribing formulary. General practitioners including those using the Prodigy system, are free to prescribe the drugs of their choice.
§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the aim of the Prodigy project. [18734]
187W
§ Mr. MaloneI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 18 December 1995, columns946.
§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list how the money allocated by his Department to the Prodigy project is being spent; and what sums are being contributed by the participating IT software companies. [18770]
§ Mr. MaloneI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield on 18 December 1995, column946. Information relating to expenditure by the participating information technology software companies is commercially confidential.
§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the IT software companies participating in the Prodigy project. [18733]
§ Mr. MaloneAAH Meditel; EMIS; Genisyst; Medical Care Systems (in conjunction with Digitalis of the Netherlands) and VAMP.
§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list(a) the numbers and types of general practices participating in the Prodigy project, (b) their locations by region or district and (c) their fundholding status; and if he will make a statement on how the practices were chosen. [18769]
§ Mr. MaloneI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield on 18 December 1995, column945.
§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations, and from whom, he has so far received on the Prodigy project. [18735]
§ Mr. MaloneRepresentations have been made by a number of bodies including patient organisations, pharmaceutical companies and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. In addition, views have been expressed by professional medical bodies, including the General Medical Services Council and the Royal College of General Practitioners as part of the consultation process.