(2) what assessment he has made of the effect on patient choice of ceasing the practice of GP surgeries dispensing medicines;
(3) how many GP practices which dispense over-the-counter medicines are within one mile of a pharmacy.
There is no intention to abolish dispensing by general practitioners (GPs). The White Paper “Pharmacy in England Building on strengths - delivering the future” commits to carrying out a formal consultation that covers, among other things, the market entry controls that apply to pharmacy and dispensing doctor services. The consultation paper will be published later in the summer—after the publication of the primary and community care strategy—and will look at options for the future. Copies of the White Paper are available in the Library.
Information is not held centrally on how many of the number of GP practices which dispense medicines are within one mile of a pharmacy. However, the Department will carry out an analysis of the impact of any changes on the overall provision of primary medical services.