64

MAJORITY REPORT.

650. Tt was suggested to us in evidence given on behalf of the
Society of Apothecaries of London (App. LXXXVI; Q. 21,218-21,236)
 that the section referred to should be amended so as to
provide that those persons who hold a certificate of the Society
as dispenser, and who have, in addition, had three years’
practical experience, should be recognised as ‘‘ qualified to
exercise any function required of a dispenser in institutions,
hospitals, dispensaries and Poor Law infirmaries, and to contract
with Insurance Committees for the payment for medicines supplied
 to panel patients in those institutions.”” The Society contend
 that their training and examination secure an adequate test
of ability to dispense accurately and successfully. The Pharmaceutical
 Society of Great Britain, on the other hand, state
(App. CXXVI) that in their view ‘‘any reduction in the
standard of qualification required of persons undertaking dispensing
 for insured persons would be a retrograde step,” and
refer to the fact that a similar claim made by the Society of
Apothecaries in 1913 was exhaustively considered by a Departmental
 Committee and was rejected.
651. We examined the official witnesses on the subject
(Q. 24,005-24,007), and quote from a reply given by Mr.
Brock :—
““ We have to distinguish between the right to dispense
in the literal sense of the term and the right to enter into
arrangements with Insurance Committees for the supply of
drugs to insured persons. In our view it would not be desirable
 to relax the present statutory requirement prohibiting
arrangements for dispensing medicines being made with
persons other than qualified pharmacists, even though such
medicines are not supplied in open shop. The period of
training required for the certificate of the Society of Apothecaries
 has been raised from six to nine months, but the
standard of technical training is still not high, and it would
be a retrograde step to amend the Act so as to allow persons
holding this qualification only to contract for the supply of
medicines.”
652. We have given careful consideration to this question and
have come to the conclusion that it is not desirable in the interests
of insured persons to lower the standard of qualification required
for persons who may be allowed to dispense medicines provided
under the Insurance Scheme. The evidence given before us has
left no doubt in our minds that the qualification of the holders
of the Apothecaries’ Assistants’ Certificates is inferior to that of
a registered pharmacist, and we accordingly recommend that no
alteration should be made in the present requirement.

ARREARS OF CONTRIBUTIONS.

653. The present position governing the effect of arrears of
contributions is set out at length in paragraphs 103-110 of