§ Dr. BrandTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what sum is currently owed on bills submitted by pharmacists to the Government; [58757]
(2) what the average length of time taken is for the Government to pay bills submitted by pharmacists. [58758]
§ Mr. MilburnPharmacies do not submit bills to the National Health Service for payment. Instead they submit prescription forms to the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA) for pricing and payment in accordance with established procedures. Prescriptions may be dispensed at any time during a particular calender month. At the end of the month, prescriptions are batched and sent to the PPA for interpretation and the calculation of the payment due. Some 80 per cent. of the estimated sum due is paid at the end of the month in which the prescriptions are received, with an adjusted balance, paid at the end of the following month. Each month on average over £380 million is paid to pharmacies.