The number of prescription items dispensed in the community to patients in England has increased by nearly 70 per cent in a decade, while the total net ingredient cost has risen by just over 58 per cent; an NHS Information Centre report shows today.

In the same period, between 2000 and 2010, the average number of prescription items dispensed per head of the population rose from 11.2 to 17.8, while the average net ingredient cost per head of the population rose from £113 to £169.7

However, the average net ingredient cost of an individual prescription item has fallen during the ten year period, according to Prescriptions Dispensed in the Community; England, Statistics for 2000 to 2010.

The report also shows that in 2010:

• Nearly 927 million prescription items were dispensed; a 4.6 per cent rise on 2009 and a 67.9 per cent rise on 2000. Total net ingredient cost was £8,834 million; a 3.5 per cent rise on 2009 and a 58.2 per cent rise on 2000.
• An average of 17.8 prescription items were dispensed per head of the population; compared to 17.1 in 2009 and 11.2 in 2000. Average net ingredient cost per head in 2010 was £169, compared to £165 in 2009 and £113 in 2000.7
• The average net ingredient cost per prescription item was £9.53; compared to £9.64 in 2009 and £10.12 in 2000.
• 67.4 per cent of all prescription items were dispensed as generic medicines, representing 29.6 per cent of the total cost. In 2009 these figures were 66.1 per cent and 28.3 per cent respectively and in 2000 they were 51.8 per cent and 21.6 per cent respectively.
• The BNF Chapter with the greatest number of prescription items dispensed is Cardiovascular System and the Chapter with the highest net ingredient cost is the Central Nervous System. The BNF Section with the greatest number of prescription items dispensed is Hypertension and Heart Failure and the Section with the highest net ingredient cost is Drugs used in Diabetes.

The report also contains information on free and charged prescriptions, generic prescribing and dispensing, and detailed analysis of prescribing by therapeutic area.

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: “This report shows that on average people in England are receiving more prescription items than ten years ago, although the average cost of each prescription item has decreased over the same period.

“Prescribing has a significant impact on peoples' lives; and from a financial point of view is of substantial cost to the NHS - with a net ingredient cost of £8,834 million last year in England. Today's report is important in giving people and the NHS the information needed to help understand prescribing today and patterns over time.”

Notes to editors

1. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care (The NHS IC) is England's authoritative, central, independent source of health and social care information. It works with a wide range of health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researcher, regulators and policymakers in their work. The NHS IC also produces a wide range of statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.
2. This bulletin covers all prescriptions that were dispensed in England by community pharmacists, appliance contractors and dispensing doctors. The majority of prescriptions dispensed are written by GPs but prescriptions written by dentists, nurses, pharmacists and prescriptions written in hospital or a Community Health Trust are also included, provided they were dispensed by a community pharmacist.
3. The bulletin shows the headline cost (net ingredient cost) of medicines before the deduction of discount or charges paid and therefore does not represent the actual cost to the NHS, however many overall messages are very similar. Net ingredient cost figures given here are not adjusted for inflation. Details of all items dispensed, including costs were published in The NHS Information Centre's Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) publication on April 2009.
4. Definitions Prescription Item Prescribers write prescriptions on a prescription form. Each single item written on the form is counted as a prescription item. Items per head of population This bulletin uses mid-year resident population estimates based on the 2001 Census. British National Formulation (BNF) The BNF is a joint publication of the British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. It is published biannually under the authority of a Joint Formulary Committee which comprises representatives of the two professional bodies and of the UK Health Departments The BNF aims to provide prescribers, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals with sound up-to-date information about the use of medicines. The BNF includes key information on the selection, prescribing, dispensing and administration of medicines. It is split into chapters by therapeutic class of drug. These notes are divided into 15 chapters, each of which is related to a particular system of the body or to an aspect of medical care. Each chapter is then divided into sections
5. There have been changes in the costs of some commonly prescribed drugs. This is related to price changes under the Category M scheme. This is an arrangement where the net ingredient cost for selected generic formulations is controlled, with the aim of reducing costs overall. The drugs subject to the new arrangements are classified as Category M in Part VIII of the Drug Tariff. The majority of these formulations have fallen in price, although some have increased.
6. The figures quoted for net ingredient cost are unadjusted for inflation. Standard adjustments for inflation are not considered appropriate as drug prices are subject to controls under the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme and to other central controls.
7. Figures for the average net ingredient cost per head of the population have been rounded to the nearest pound.
8. A generic medicine is one which is marketed under an internationally approved name, rather than a brand name. For example, Ibuprofen is the generic name of the medicine that also has several branded versions.
9. For media enquires please call 0845 257 6990 or contact mediaenquiries@ic.nhs.uk