§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation has been carried out into the success of financial rewards for the identification of fraudulent prescriptions. [126092]
§ Ms Rosie Winterton[holding answer 16 July 2003]: The Pharmacy Reward Scheme was introduced in 1999 to reward community pharmacists who detected the attempted fraudulent use of prescription forms. The scheme was revised in February 2003, to provide an 642W increased reward and a simplified claim process. It is expected that there will be an evaluation of the revised scheme in 2004.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost to the NHS of fraudulent prescriptions was in each of the last five years in(a) the UK, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Coventry. [126093]
§ Ms Rosie Winterton[holding answer 16 July 2003]: The National Health Service Counter Fraud and Security Management Service has an on-going programme of highly accurate risk measurement exercises designed to reveal levels of losses and, through repeated exercises, reduction in such losses. The National Audit Office has audited this process and is satisfied to its accuracy. Phase one of these exercises, examining patient fraud losses, included pharmaceutical patient fraud. The table shows these results.
Pharmaceutical patient fraud £ million Year data selected Fraud losses 1998–99 117 1999–2000 69 A statistically valid sample of those prescriptions prescribed during March 2003 has been taken for a further measurement exercise to be completed. Further fraud reductions are anticipated and the figures will be produced later this year.
Pharmacies in the West Midlands and Coventry may have been routinely included in the measurement programme but figures were not categorised into specific cities or regions.
There was no accurate measurement of pharmaceutical patient fraud prior to the commencement of these exercises in 1998–99.
Point of dispensing checks were introduced in all community pharmacies on 1 April 1999 to help deter this type of fraud. The check requires pharmacists to ask patients who are claiming free prescriptions if they have evidence to support their claim to exemption from prescription charges.