Committee
Health Committee, 20 Mar 2007
20 Mar 2007 · S2 · Health Committee
Item of business
Subordinate Legislation
National Health Service<br />(Charges for Drugs and Appliances) (Scotland) Regulations 2007 (SSI 2007/139)
We have taken the position that, having commissioned the review and seen the responses to the consultation, we want to respond as soon as we practically can. As Shona Robison implied, the opportunities to do so are diminishing by the day. We have given careful consideration to the responses to the review in order to assess the best way forward. It is possible that proposals will emerge before Parliament is dissolved, but I have nothing to announce on that front today. If we do not publish recommendations in the next few days, it is fair to assume that this will be a matter of interest to the wider electorate in the next few weeks.
In the same item of business
The Convener:
SNP
Under agenda item 3, we will take evidence on the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) (Scotland) Regulations 2007 from the Deputy Mini...
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care (Lewis Macdonald):
Lab
Thank you for the opportunity to address the regulations. To a degree, they appear in a similar form annually. They consolidate and update the regulations of...
Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP):
SNP
I welcome the presentation of the analysis of consultation responses to the review. I am sure that that has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that a mot...
Lewis Macdonald:
Lab
We have taken the position that, having commissioned the review and seen the responses to the consultation, we want to respond as soon as we practically can....
Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind):
Ind
You said that the new rate is £6.85, which is a fair amount of money for someone on a tight income. A person could have four prescriptions—four times £6.85 i...
Lewis Macdonald:
Lab
That is one of the issues on which a significant number of consultation responses were received. The annual prescription charge for a person who has a chroni...
Dr Turner:
Ind
Have questions been asked about the difference between what happens in primary and secondary care? If someone is in hospital and suddenly finds that they nee...
Lewis Macdonald:
Lab
The current position is that 50 per cent of patients, who account for 90-odd per cent of prescriptions, are not charged. That is an important point to bear i...
Dr Turner:
Ind
It is not a subject about which the ordinary population would know. Unless you provide a little more information when you ask the question and allow people t...
Lewis Macdonald:
Lab
As I said, the focus has been on delivery of prescriptions through primary care from community pharmacies, in particular.For people who have long-term condit...
Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab):
Lab
After a quick scan of the consultation document, one of the interesting things to emerge is that people do not appreciate the benefits they currently have. I...
The Convener:
SNP
Before we go any further, let me say that I do not want a rerun of stage 1 of the Abolition of NHS Prescription Charges (Scotland) Bill. We should keep the d...
Mr McNeil:
Lab
The matter is referred to in the documents.
The Convener:
SNP
I appreciate that, but I do not want us to get drawn into rehashing arguments. Otherwise, we will end up with everybody trying to jump in on the same basis a...
Lewis Macdonald:
Lab
On Duncan McNeil's first point, it is disappointing to hear that his pharmacist has not offered him the opportunity to use a prepayment certificate, particul...
Dr Nadine Harrison (Scottish Executive Health Department):
All the research has suggested that there could be upwards of a 20 per cent increase in demand for scripts, which would have a knock-on effect on the availab...
Lewis Macdonald:
Lab
That reflects the responses to the consultation, as Duncan McNeil suggested.On Duncan McNeil's third and final point, I think that, as ever, there are a vari...
The Convener:
SNP
If no member wants to ask further questions, I thank the deputy minister and his officials. The officials can either stay where they are or sit in the public...
Shona Robison:
SNP
Thank you, convener. I was motivated to lodge the motion by the fact that the Executive first mooted the idea of a review four years ago and I did not feel t...
The Convener:
SNP
The motion is not moved, so no further action can be taken in relation to the motion as no other member has formally indicated support for it. However, the c...
Members indicated agreement.
The Convener:
SNP
I thank the deputy minister for his attendance.
Lewis Macdonald:
Lab
Thank you.