The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 272 No 7284 p111
31 January 2004

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States of Guernsey: Board of Health (www.health.gov.gg)

“White list” to control drugs bill in Guernsey

Legislation to curb Guernsey's rising drugs bill came into effect on the Channel Island on 1 January. The legislation specifies which medicines and medical appliances can be reimbursed under the local health scheme. Health care in Guernsey is not part of the NHS; it is funded locally via a compulsory social insurance scheme. The scheme covers subsidised prescription charges and patients pay a standard charge of £2.30 per item.

The “white list”, as the restricted list is known, is controlled by the pharmaceutical benefits advisory committee, which consists of a pharmacist and several GPs and consultants. Paul McManus, prescribing adviser to the States of Guernsey Health Board and pharmacist member of the committee, told The Journal that the list applies across primary and secondary care and has been running on a voluntary basis since the end of 2001. He explained that all drugs available before September 2001 are automatically included on the list. “The committee essentially controls which new products can be added,” said Mr McManus. GPs and consultants must apply to the committee if they would like it to consider adding a new product to the list.

Mr McManus noted that the growth rate for expenditure on drugs in Guernsey previously mirrored that in the UK. However, since the white list began rises in Guernsey have fallen behind those in the UK.