Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what impact assessment is being undertaken as part of the consultation on proposals to change the reimbursement arrangements for NHS dispensing contractors.

The Department is consulting on changes to the reimbursement of pharmacy contractors. The Department acknowledges in the consultation document that dispensing doctors are one of the groups impacted by these reforms. An impact assessment has been published alongside the consultation document which will be updated with information provided by respondents to the consultation. Changes to payments for dispensing doctors are made through the general practitioner contract.