To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what arrangements are in place to ensure that NHS hospital and community doctors are supplied with an up-to-date paper copy of the British National Formulary; and what arrangements are in place for (a) purchase and (b) distribution of such copies; (227559)

The Department purchases copies of the British National Formulary and British National Formulary for Children centrally and arranges for their distribution to national health service doctors and other health care professionals in England.

Both the British National Formulary and British National Formulary for Children are available free online, through the National electronic Library for Medicines, National Library for Health or via the internet at:

www.BNF.org

NHS organisations or individuals can also purchase electronic versions for use on desktop computers, local intranets and personal digital assistants.