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NHS Prescriptions (Transparency Directive)
Mr. Lock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the criteria to exclude products from NHS prescription which he has notified to the European Commission to comply with Article 7 of Council Directive 89/105 EEC (the Transparency Directive). [88504]
Mr. Dobson: Since 1989 six criteria have been separately notified to the Commission. I have advised the Commission of the full set which currently apply, which are: first, under the Selected List Scheme, medicinal products in seventeen therapeutic categories which are excluded from prescription on the grounds that, on expert advice, they had no clinical or therapeutic advantage over other, cheaper, drugs in the following categories:
Thirdly, as well as being freely available on sale over the counter to the general public, the cost to the NHS if the product(s) were to be supplied on prescription could not be justified at any price likely to be economic to the manufacturer and that the supply of the product is not considered a priority for the use of the limited resources available to the NHS.
Fourthly, that products which none the less may meet a legitimate clinical or therapeutic need when properly prescribed, are subject to misuse by drug misusers, and such misuse, or the manner in which the product is administered by drug misusers, gives rise to the risk of physical or mental morbidity and alternative products are available to meet all legitimate clinical or therapeutic needs.
Fifthly, a medicinal product or a category of medicinal products may be excluded entirely from supply on NHS prescription. It may alternatively be excluded except in specified circumstances, or except in relation to specified conditions or categories of condition, or specified categories of patient. A medicinal product or a category of
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them may be so excluded where the forecast aggregate cost to the NHS of allowing the product (or category of products) to be supplied on NHS prescription, or to be supplied more widely than the permitted exceptions, could not be justified having regard to all the relevant circumstances including in particular: the Secretary of State's duties pursuant to the NHS Act 1977 and the priorities for the expenditure of NHS resources.
Sixthly, products which comprise an injection device prefilled with a drug may be excluded from supply on NHS prescription if the same drug is available and can be used more economically in a container which may be used in conjunction with a refillable injection device.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the terms of South Essex Health Authority's contract with London Chest Hospital in relation to heart by-pass operations; and if he will set out the annual number of operations (i) covered by the contract and (ii) performed, for the health authority over the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [88175]
Mr. Denham:
The information available is given in the table.
mild to moderate painkillers
indigestion remedies
laxatives
cough and cold remedies
vitamins
tonics
benzodiazepine sedatives and tranquillisers
antidiarrhoeal drugs
drugs for allergic disorders
hypnotics and anxiolytics
appetite suppressants
drugs for vaginal and vulval conditions
contraceptives
drugs used in anaemia
topical anti-rheumatics
drugs acting on the ear and nose
drugs acting on the skin.
Secondly, products may be considered as "borderline substances" which are not truly medicinal products with clinical or therapeutic value and are excluded from National Health Service prescription on that ground.
| Operations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Actual number performed | Planned within service level agreement |
| 1994-95 | 219 | (34)n/a |
| 1995-96 | 165 | 150 |
| 1996-97 | 120 | 124 |
| 1997-98 | 189 | 120 |
| 1998-99 | 212 | 126 |
| 1999-2000 | -- | 233 |
(34) Prior to the establishment of the Royal Hospitals Trust
Sources:
South Essex Health Authority--actual number performed
Royal Hospitals NHS Trust--planned
Speech and Language Therapists
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the reasons for the disparity in remuneration between speech and language therapists and other health care professionals of similar qualification. [88625]
Mr. Denham: Basic pay rates for speech and language therapists have increased by between 158 per cent. (minimum) and 170 per cent. (maximum) since 1984, more than those for any other professional staff group in the National Health Service. Qualification is one of many factors influencing decisions on pay. We published proposals to modernise the National Health Service pay system on 15 February 1999. Our aim is a pay system which gives employers effective ways of rewarding people for taking on more responsibility and developing new skills.
Correspondence
Mr. Winnick:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Walsall, North
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will receive replies to his letters of 6 May (ref. POH(2)5608/22) and 18 May (ref. POH(2)5608/22) regarding constituents. [88618]
Mr. Denham:
I replied to both of my hon. Friend's letters on 24 June.
Active Schools Co-ordinators
Ms Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what role there will be for the New Deal in the recruitment by Sport England of the new Active Schools co-ordinators. [87221]
Mr. Andrew Smith: Sport England can employ people through the New Deal programme in the same way as any other employer, providing they satisfy the requirements of the programme. We hope that they will do so.
School Visits (Insurance Cover)
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what advice he has circulated to schools in connection with the desirability of insurance cover for (a) residential courses involving at least one night away from home, (b) day visits starting and concluding within school hours and (c) day visits extending beyond normal school hours; and what assessment he has made of difficulties for schools in meeting insurance liabilities in connection with such courses. [88235]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The Department's 1998 publication, "Health and Safety of Pupils on Education Visits: A Good Practice Guide", strongly advises group leaders to ensure that adequate insurance is in place for all kinds of school visit, no matter when or where the visit is made. It recommends them to clarify with their LEA what insurance already exists and what additional or special cover may be needed, and gives examples. The booklet was produced after an extensive consultation, which did not suggest that schools found it hard to insure visits or meet the costs.
Bett Report
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he plans to respond to the Bett report on higher education remuneration. [88624]
Mr. Mudie: The independent review of higher education pay and conditions was established by the higher education employers: it is for them and the relevant trades unions to respond to the recommendations.
Further Education Funding Council
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the Further Education Funding Council expects to announce firm allocations of finance to further education colleges to promote proposed curriculum changes. [88234]
Mr. Mudie:
The Further Education Funding Council intends to consult shortly on its proposals for ensuring that the funding methodology reflects the proposed curriculum changes arising from the Qualifying for Success policies. Decisions on this will be taken by the Council at its
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December meeting this year, which will then be reflected in the provisional allocations for the 2000-01 academic year, to be issued to colleges in March 2000.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has received from local educational authorities about difficulties in modifying computer systems to reflect changes in the system of student support. [88623]
Mr. Mudie:
We have received no representation from local education authorities about difficulties in modifying computer systems.
The upgrades to the computer systems are needed to enable the local education authorities to administer the new Student Support arrangements. The majority of the system upgrades are being handled by three IT suppliers, while 40 local education authorities have in house IT teams.
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