Rise in prescription items dispensed to treat alcohol dependency

The number of prescription items dispensed to treat people for alcohol dependency in England has risen by 12 per cent in a year to reach over 150,000, a new report from The NHS Information Centre shows today.

A total of 150,445 prescription items for two specific drugs; Acamprosate Calcium and Disulfiram, were dispensed in 2009 at a net ingredient cost of £2.38 million, according to the annual report: Statistics on Alcohol: England, 2010.

This is a 12 per cent rise in prescription items for the two drugs on 2008 and a 46 per cent rise on 2003.

In 2009 nearly 95,000 prescription items were dispensed of Acamprosate Calcium, which helps restore the brain's chemical balance to reduce a patient's withdrawal symptoms from alcohol. During the same time period just over 55,500 prescription items were dispensed of Disulfiram, which causes a severe and unpleasant reaction in the patient if they drink alcohol.

The report also shows that in 2009 in England:

  • On average 271 prescription items were issued for alcohol dependency per 100,000 of the population.
  • Regionally, the average figure per 100,000 of the population was higher than the national average in the North West Strategic Health Authority (SHA) (473 items), the North East SHA (429 items), Yorkshire and the Humber SHA (361 items) and in the East of England SHA (328 items).
  • The average figure per 100,000 of the population was lowest in London SHA (112 items).

The latest prescribing data on alcohol dependency is published in today's report, along with previously published information from a range of sources about drinking behaviours and health outcomes in England.

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: “This report shows a year on year increase in prescriptions being dispensed to help people battle their dependency on alcohol.

“Prescribing information, together with the range of other information included in this report, gives a fuller picture of how people in England consume alcohol, how they view that consumption, and how this consequently affects their health.

“The report also shows the burden alcohol places on the health service in England and will be of use to healthcare professionals as they try and plan how to tackle the issue.”

Regional information is available from a number of sections of the report, which is at:

www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/alcohol10

ENDS

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 statistical report presents a range of information on alcohol use and misuse which are drawn together from a variety of published sources and includes additional analysis undertaken by the NHS Information Centre for health and social care which is presented in a user friendly format. The report aims to present a broad picture of health issues relating to alcohol in England and covers topics such as drinking habits and behaviours among adults (aged 16 and over) and school children (aged 11 to 15), drinking-related mortality, affordability of alcohol and alcohol-related costs. Most of the data contained in the report have been published previously including information from the NHS Information Centre, Department of Health, the Office for National Statistics, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, Department for Environment, and Food and Rural Affairs. Some of the data presented here at England level, was previously published at GB level.
  3. 2003 is used as a comparison year as this is the first year of the time series within the Statistics on Alcohol: England reports
  4. The number of prescription items does not translate to the number of prescriptions. Prescriptions are written on a prescription form. Each single item written on the form is counted as a prescription item. Prescription data in this report relates to items prescribed in primary care settings or NHS hospitals in England and dispensed in the community within the United Kingdom.
  5. Net ingredient cost is the basic cost of a drug. It does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.
  6. Please note updated information on alcohol-related hospital admissions is not currently available from The NHS IC. Queries relating to hospital admissions due to alcohol should be directed to the Department of Health press office on 0207 210 5221.
  7. For media enquires please call 0845 257 6990 or contact: