Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department takes to monitor the level of prescriptions issued by GPs; and if he will make a statement.

Clinicians are responsible for their own treatment decisions taking any relevant guidance into account. They should always satisfy themselves that the drugs or other substances they consider appropriate for their patients can be safely prescribed, that patients are adequately monitored and that, where necessary, additional support or supervision is available.

Within the General Medical Services (GMS) and Personal Medical Services Regulations and Alternative Provider Medical Services Directions there are clauses in relation to prescribing and dispensing. The GMS Contracts Regulations Schedule 6 Part 3 paragraph 46 says:

“Excessive prescribing

46 - (1) The contractor shall not prescribe drugs, medicines or appliances whose cost or quantity, in relation to any patient is, by reason of the character of the drug, medicine or appliance in question in excess of that

which was reasonably necessary for the proper treatment of that patient.

(2) In considering whether a contractor has breached its obligations under sub-paragraph (1) NHS England must seek the views of the Local Medical Committee (if any) for the area in which the contractor provides services under the contract.”

Practitioners are encouraged to prescribe rationally and to make the best possible use of National Health Service resources.

Professional bodies issue standards and/or guidance for their members on prescribing. An example of this is the General Medical Council’s “Good practice in prescribing and managing medicines and devices”. It provides more detailed advice on how to comply with these principles when prescribing and managing medicines and medical devices, including appliances. If clinicians act outside of this guidance they can be held to account and potentially lose their professional registration, meaning they are unable to practice.