Written question asked by Lord Morris of Manchester (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour) on Monday, 11 June 2007.

Health: Incontinence Items

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the infrastructure payment for services proposed in the Department of Health consultation, Arrangements for the reimbursement pricing of stoma and incontinence appliances under Part IX of the Drug Tariff, would affect dispensing appliance contractors differently dependent on their output.

Answer: In reviewing the arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff, it has always been one of the department's stated objectives to ensure fair remuneration of valued services provided by the pharmacy and appliance contractors. In the consultation document entitled, Arrangements for the remuneration of services relating to appliances within Part IX of the Drug Tariff, it was proposed that dispensing appliance contractors would receive a banded infrastructure payment, depending on the volume of prescription items dispensed in one particular month. The purpose of this payment is to cover elements of service that are less volume-related compared to dispensing, such as operating within a clinical governance framework, requirements relating to dispensing repeatable prescriptions and provision of clinical information. Views were sought on this proposal and the consultation closed on 2 April 2007. Given the volume of the responses to the consultation, the department has decided that it needs more time to analyse the information provided. Consequently, no changes will be implemented in July 2007 as proposed in the consultation documents. In conducting this review, a key objective has been to maintain and improve the quality of patient care.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 3938; 692 c231-2WA
Session: 2006-07
Subjects: NHS Pay Pharmacy Prices Prescriptions Medical equipment Incontinence
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk