A HEALTH chief has shot down suggestions that doctors in Dumbarton and the Vale could be facing pressure to issue fewer prescriptions to their patients.

Keith Redpath, chief officer of the West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said there would be “no prohibition” on doctors writing prescriptions – despite a report warning of a possible £1.5m reduction in the organisation’s finances.

According to a report, the partnership, which is responsible for the planning and delivery of health and social care services to the communities of West Dunbartonshire, was facing nearly £1.5m of efficiency savings.

The cuts were due to be passed down from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, who themselves were understood to be facing an in-year funding gap of £8.5m.

And the report to go before members of the HSCP board on Wednesday warned that the organisation would need to find around £656,000 of savings this year from its prescribing budget.

That’s on top of the £825,000 the board were due to find from their “current savings plan”. That totalled £1,481,000.

But Mr Redpath said that the situation is now not the case, following last week’s tariff agreement between the government and pharmaceutical industry, which means the cost of medicine will not be as high to the NHS as first estimated.

He added: “Let me make this clear, there will be no prohibition on GPs writing prescriptions.”

News of the proposed cuts had prompted questions about the future quality of patient care in West Dunbartonshire.

Leven ward councillor Jim Bollan described them as “completely unacceptable” and should be “opposed” by all HSCP board members and all councillors.

Dumbarton and the Vale’s MSP Jackie Baillie waded into the debate saying: “This document is just the latest evidence of the financial pressures faced by our NHS. A doctor’s decision to prescribe medication should always be based on clinical need, not cost cutting.

“Whilst it is important to manage the cost of prescriptions, the best way to do so is by providing the most appropriate treatment to avoid a problem worsening and becoming more expensive to treat later. That applies to patients having the right medication too.

“The share of the NHS budget dedicated to general practice is falling at a time when we should be investing in GPs to ensure that our NHS is fit for the challenges of the future.

“This includes giving local GPs the resources they require to spend more time with patients and really get to know their needs. “Only then will doctors be able to give advice and act early to prevent many patients needing medication in the first place.”

Councillor Martin Rooney, leader of the opposition in West Dunbartonshire, said the report was an “extremely worrying development” and that the new savings target would “simply not be achieved” during the financial year.

But Mr Redpath moved quickly ahead of tomorrow’s meeting, pointing out that a national negotiation between the government and the pharmaceutical industry resulted in an agreement last week to new tariffs.

As a result, the finances of the HSCP, which were based on February 2017 figures, are not as bleak as first thought, according to Mr Redpath.

He also stressed that any shortfalls that do occur would be met by the organisation’s reserves. He said: “It’s clear, from the national negotiations, and the agreement put in place, that for 2017/18 we do not expect to make any changes or reductions.”

Councillor Marie McNair, the new HSCP convener, said: “The background is that an ageing population along with the launch of new, more effective but also more expensive drugs is impacting on prescription budgets across the country.

“In West Dunbartonshire HSCP the budget pressure is being dealt with in the short term through reserves. If this continues then the pressure will be addressed through the NHS budget contribution rather than the council’s.”