Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the Government's policy is on enabling GPs to prescribe products which they consider appropriate for their patients rather than placing statutory restrictions on products open for prescription.

A general practitioner (GP) is able to prescribe any product on the National Health Service they consider necessary for the treatment of their patient unless it is listed in Schedules 1 or 2 to the NHS (General Medical Services Contracts) (Prescription of Drugs etc.) Regulations 2004. The Government is committed to the use of evidence-based therapies for NHS patients.

Schedule 1, commonly referred to as the blacklist, lists a number of drugs, medicines and other substances which GPs cannot prescribe on the NHS, for example, Ribena and some sun tan lotions. Schedule 2, commonly referred to as the greylist, lists drugs, medicines and other substances which GPs can only prescribe in certain circumstances on the NHS, for example influenza treatments for ‘at risk’ groups.