Health Minister David Ashford has pledged there will be a public consultation before any decision is made to remove anything from the list of items available on prescription.

He confirmed the Department of Health and Social Care would review what was available on prescription.

That would include monitoring the impact, in England, of a decision to remove certain items from the prescription list.

Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey) sought assurances in Tynwald that the public would be consulted before changes.

’The minister is aware of concerns that have been raised around communications and public engagement in respect of the recent withdrawal of gluten-free items from prescription,’ he said.

’When he is proposing the wider reforms that he is talking about, will he be consulting on those issues?’

Mr Ashford said public engagement would be important in any wide-ranging changes to prescriptions or a decision to follow the England example.

’One of the things I am very keen on is that we do have a consultation if that comes forward and I am happy to give an assurance,’ he added.

Earlier, Mr Ashford had said the DHSC had to look at all areas of its spending to secure the best possible health outcomes.

’In England, commissioning organisations have chosen to restrict the items which can be prescribed, and we will be reviewing both the savings that have been achieved there and the consequences for patients of these items no longer being available on prescription, before deciding whether to follow suit,’ he said.

The formulary - the list of items that can be described - would change from time to time to take into account both the latest practice and ’cost-effectiveness’.

Mr Ashford also addressed concerns over affordability, should an item currently used by patients be withdrawn from the formulary.

He said the situation would be assessed in terms of medical need.

’For instance, if you had someone who, due to a combination of illnesses, needed something to be prescribed that is not currently prescribed, there is the ability to request an individual funding request to the DHSC,’ he explained.

A proposed increase in prescription charges is due to go before Tynwald next month.

Health Minister David Ashford was originally due to ask the April sitting to approve the increase of prescription charges from £3.85 to £5, as part of a wider National Health Service and General Care Scheme.

But it was delayed due to ’drafting issues’ with other aspects of the scheme.