The Department has not undertaken a formal study. However, we sought views on a proposal to allow, where there is no convenient alternative, dispensing doctors to sell over-the-counter medicines as part of our wider consultation last autumn, “Pharmacy in England: Building on strengths—delivering the future—proposals for legislative change”.
We published a partial impact assessment concerning this proposal with that consultation which includes a competition assessment that sets out our analysis of the possible effects on competition of the proposal. It is available at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Closedconsultations
and a copy has been placed in the Library.
The proposal was also discussed at events around the country as part of the consultation process. A full report of that consultation will be published in due course.