§ Dr. Evan HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what levels of access there are to medicines(a) over-the-counter and (b) through the NHS itself. [36293]
§ Ms BlearsThere are two levels of access to over the counter medicines. General sale list medicines are available from a range of retail outlets. Pharmacy medicines are available from pharmacies. As part of national health service arrangements medicines may be administered or supplied by a range of professional staff or prescribed by doctors, dentists and some nurses. Depending on the circumstances, prescribed medicines can be dispensed by hospital or community pharmacies or by dispensing doctors. There are restrictions on the types of medicines which most professional staff may administer, supply or prescribe, some of which arise from legislation under the Medicines Act, and some of which are specific to the NHS.
§ Dr. Evan HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that a change to the procedures for the reclassification of medicines from prescription-only to pharmacy sale will not remove availability by way of the NHS medicines reclassified for over-the-counter availability. [36294]
§ Ms BlearsThe NHS Plan committed the Government to making more medicines available over the counter and therefore giving people a greater choice in their treatment and empowering patients to manage their care with the help of skilled health care staff. However, before a medicine is made more widely available, it is assessed against strict criteria relating to its safety in the circumstances in which it will be used. The policy is to improve access to a range of medicines without affecting their availability on the national health service, unless there are existing restrictions on NHS availability.