Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether there are GPs in the Greater Manchester area who are licensed to dispense diamorphine on prescription.

There are no such dispensing practices in Greater Manchester.

In general, dispensing doctors, as well as community pharmacies, can dispense prescriptions for diamorphine, including those in the Greater Manchester area. Only those on the pharmaceutical list can do so under National Health Service pharmaceutical services. However, under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1997, if the diamorphine is for addiction the prescribing general practitioner and the dispensing doctor must hold a special licence issued by the Home Secretary.