Mr. Tony O'Brien:

I do not think it is the case that GPs are unaware of it. I do not have data for the proportion of applications which are approved. The reason the programme was introduced was there a strong sense that the patch was being prescribed inappropriately, both by condition and duration. The clear intention was to have greater clinical supervision of patients who would otherwise have gone on to receive the patch for an overly extended period for conditions which were not indicated. Consequently, it is inevitable that some patients will be switched to other medications. That was the intention of the programme.