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Incontinence: Medical Equipment

Volume 472: debated on Wednesday 20 February 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how the weight range of 751-1000g in Annex A1 of Arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and incontinence appliances and related services to primary care was determined; (184581)

(2) whether his Department has undertaken a disability impact assessment of the proposed changes to Part IX of the Drug Tariff.

The weight range referred to in Annex A of the consultation “Arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and incontinence appliances—and related services—to Primary Care. Revised Proposals” was determined using a sample of data provided by the Prescriptions Pricing Division of the NHS Business Services Authority which was used to:

estimate the average weight of an item within a prescription; and

estimate the average weight of a prescription, assuming that a prescription has an average of 2.2 items in it.

The review of Part IX of the Drug tariff in relation to stoma and incontinence appliances is ongoing. The Department is preparing an Equality Impact Assessment and this will be published. All parties will have an opportunity to comment on it.