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Prescriptions Dispensed in the Community: England, Statistics for 1999 to 2009
Bulletin has increased detail
Dr Allan Tennant reports
30th of July 2010
This bulletin published by the NHS Information Centre is an analysis of the items dispensed in England by pharmacists, dispensing doctors, appliance contractors and personally administered by GPs.
Headlines
In 2009 the net ingredient cost was £8.54 billion, an increase of 2.6%
Item inflation was 5.2%, with 886 million items.
The average net ingredient cost per prescription item was £9.64. The net ingredient cost per item in 2008 was £9.88 and in1999 was £9.99
66.1 per cent of all prescription items were dispensed generically representing 28.3 per cent of the total cost
The number of prescription items per head increased from 16.4 in 2008 to 17.1 in 2009, an increase of 4.5 per cent. The number of prescription items per head in 1999 was 10.8.
only 6% of prescriptions incur a charge at the point of dispensing. 94% are either exempt or patient has a prepayment certificate.
There is new analysis in the bulletin including trends by BNF chapter, sections and by greatest net ingredient costs. This latter is explored in some detail and maybe interesting to readers interested in prescribing and medicines management. In particular they look at Category M and non-Category M changes as well as products rising and falling in use.
On page 36 and 37 there are lists of the top 20 drugs by NIC and items.