HC Deb 22 February 1999 vol 326 cc136-7W
Mr. Peter Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health authorities overspent their Family Health Services drugs allocations in 1997–98; and in those health authorities which overspent the allocation by over £1 million, what proportion of practices were(a) dispensing and (b) prescribing; what proportion of the overspend was attributable to each type of practice; and in each case what was the expenditure on branded drugs where a generic equivalent exists. [71574]

Mr. Denham

[holding answer 16 February 1999]Seventy-eight Health Authorities overspent their family health services drugs allocations in 1997–98. The total net overspend was £69 million. Of these overspending health authorities, forty four overspent their allocation by less than £1 million. For the thirty four health authorities which overspent their allocation by greater than £1 million, the available information is provided in the table. Data for expenditure on branded drugs where a generic equivalent exists are not available.

Percentage
Distribution of practices2 Proportion of overspend attributable to each type of practice3
£1m+ overspenders1 Dispensing Prescribing Dispensing Prescribing
Manchester 0 100 0 100
North Essex 38 62 34 66
North West Anglia 48 53 58 42
Portsmouth and South-East Hampshire 5 95 6 94
Salford and Trafford 0 100 0 100
Shropshire 32 68 28 72
South Cheshire 17 83 17 83
South Essex 6 94 12 88
South Staffordshire 20 80 37 63
Southampton and South-West Hampshire 8 92 5 95
St. Helens and Knowsley 0 100 0 100
Stockport 0 100 0 100
Suffolk 47 53 51 49
West Kent 23 77 27 73
West Pennine 0 100 0 100
West Sussex 19 81 20 80
Wigan and Bolton 0 100 0 100
Wiltshire 24 76 39 61
1Source: Allocations from EL(96) 107 and outturns from PPA PACT data
2Source: PPA
3Source: PPA, HA Prescribing Annual Returns Statement

Mr. Peter Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the overall Family Health Service drugs expenditure is accounted for by dispensing general practitioner practices. [72622]

Mr. Denham

In 1997–98, 15 per cent. of Family Health Services drugs expenditure was accounted for by dispensing general practitioner practices.