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Health Bill

moved Amendment No. 44:"After Clause 73, insert the following new clause—" ““PRESCRIPTIONS: LABELLING SHOWING ACTUAL COST (1)   The National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/620) are amended as follows. (2)   After regulation 11 insert— ““11A PRESCRIPTIONS: LABELLING SHOWING ACTUAL COST (1)   The packaging of any drugs or appliances supplied in accordance with regulations 3 to 6A shall carry a label showing the full retail cost of those drugs or appliances. (2)   Paragraph (1) applies irrespective of whether— (a)   there is an exemption from charging under regulation 7 or 7A, or (b)   a valid exemption certificate under regulation 8 is in force.”””” The noble Lord said: My Lords, first, I should like to apologise to the Minister and the House for not moving this amendment and my next amendment in Grand Committee. It was due to a long-standing family commitment. For many years, I have thought that it is important for patients to realise what good value they are getting when they get a prescription over the counter. This amendment is wonderfully simple and will cost absolutely nothing. All the pharmacist will have to do is press an extra button on the computer, which will give the complete value of the medicine being dispensed. I also believe strongly that if the true value was on the face of a prescribed medicine, it would encourage people to finish their drugs. I am sure that the Minister is aware that an enormous number of drugs simply do not get finished. That often means that a patient will have to return to the doctor, say, two or three months later to have a repeat prescription. It is also important for patients to realise the incredible value for money they are getting. I have had quite a postbag on this amendment. Indeed, in some countries, when people are discharged from hospital they are given a bill which says how much it technically would have cost—that is, the cost of the theatre and their stay in hospital, and the anaesthetist’s and surgeon’s charges. I do not suggest that we should do that as it would be fairly bureaucratic and would indeed cost money. The joy and ease of this amendment is that it would cost nothing and would be simple to put into operation. I beg to move.