On Tuesday I was in the Commons chamber to ask Health Ministers how the discrepancy around disabled constituents encountering difficulties receiving dispensed drugs from local GPs because they fall outside of geographical criteria can be remedied.
This is an important matter for many residents of Rochester and Strood who have contacted me about such problems since my election. For many, it has created an unfair and heavy financial burden upon tight household budgets. This issue is also made worse by the allegations that certain dispensing GP practices – nationally as well as locally – have blocked the arrival of new local pharmacies.
I was therefore pleased that these local concerns were addressed by the Minister responding, the Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP, who informed that there is a provision within the regulations to enable patients who have serious difficulty in getting to a pharmacy because of the distance involved or the lack of transport to receive dispensing services from a doctor. I will be investigating this further in the coming weeks.
On the matter of malpractice by some GP services regarding alternative local dispensing sources, I was grateful for the concern given to the matter by the Minister. As per his kind offer, I will be writing to him with further details upon receipt of which his Department will investigate.
Knowing the importance of this issue to a number of constituents, it will remain one of my key local health-related priorities and I look forward to providing positive updates in the not too distant future.
The full transcript of yesterday’s Health Oral Questions can be viewed here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-07-05/debates/16070532000002/OralAnswersToQuestions