Dispensing GPs in Scotland saw dispensing volumes rise 2.4 per cent during 2021-22, new data from Public Health Scotland shows.

The annual remuneration and reimbursement report shows that dispensing fees of £2.49m were paid to dispensing GPs in Scotland, compared to £2.43m in 2020-21. Overall dispensing GPs received a net total income of £22.47m, up £2.6 per cent on the previous year.

Net Ingredient Costs for 2021-22 were £17. 68m, up 3.4 per cent on the previous year.

The report highlights increases in both the volume and costs of medicines during the year, reflecting pre-pandemic trends.  Factors underpinning the increases include an ageing population, newly available drugs and a shift from secondary to primary care for a number of high-cost medicines.

Overall, the total (net) cost for dispensing items and providing services in 2021/22 was £1.45 billion, increasing by 3.7 per cent in 2020/21. This follows a period of largely rising cost, increasing by 30 per cent over the last 10 years.

Other headline findings:

• The total number of items reimbursed between 2020/21 and 2021/22 increased by 4.3 per cent to 106.5 million items.
• Total NIC increased by 4.5 per cent between 2020/21 and 2021/22
• Apixaban, used to prevent blood clots, and beclometasone dipropionate and formoterol fumarate, used to treat respiratory conditions, had the highest total Gross Ingredient Cost in 2021/22, at a cost of £34m and £23.3m respectively.