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25 Apr 2008 : Column 2389W—continued
Mr. Stephen O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations (a) his Department and (b) his Department's arm's length bodies have received concerning possible (i) positive and (ii)
negative effects which may result from the wider release of practice-level prescribing data, as stated in the NHS Information Centre's presentation to the Inaugural Supplier Forum of 7 November 2007; what the content of these representations was; from which organisations they were received; and if he will make a statement. [195269]
Dawn Primarolo: The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and the Company Chemists Association have written to the Information Centre for health and social care expressing concern about the wider release of practice level prescribing data. These concerns are based on the potential release of personally sensitive or commercially sensitive data, and the potential for misinterpretation of the data if not put in an appropriate context.
The Information Centre for health and social care have agreed to produce a review document seeking to determine whether it will be possible to make practice level prescribing data more accessible. This review is ongoing and there are currently no proposals for the release of practice level prescribing data or any anticipated dates for changes to the current position.
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