§ Mr. Gerald HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cost of free prescriptions in(a) 1970, (b) 1980, (c) 1990 and (d) 1999. [131109]
§ Ms StuartInformation for 1970 is not available. The net ingredient cost of prescriptions dispensed in the community in England by community pharmacists and
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1997–98 Total budget expenditure 1997–98 Proportion handled via a bidding process Bids received Bids agreed Budget title £000 Number £000 Number £000 Special Assistance to HAs 48,920 19 78,660 14 48,420 NHS Training for Doctors 1,537 1 65 1 65 Ethnic Health Unit Development Work 500 244 1— 8 500 Ethnic Minority Health 407 27 1— 13 407 Breast Cancer Services 1,377 1— 1— 12 1,377 Research and Development Northern and Yorkshire Region 6,138 323 21,243 93 2,368 Trent Region 4,359 125 4,375 23 817 Anglia and Oxford Region 10,040 92 3,099 42 1,175 North Thames Region 6,956 118 8,847 16 1,974 South Thames Region 6,078 154 8,415 27 1,280 South West Region 7,408 277 14,931 75 2,214 West Midlands Region 4,717 115 3,391 39 1,055 North West Region 6,993 232 17,114 65 4,315 Drug and Alcohol Specific Grant 2,300 158 4,780 81 2,300 Medical and Dental Education Levy-West Midlands Region 54,453 50 1,439 34 699 1 Information not available appliance contractors for 1977 (the earliest year for which information is available), 1980, 1990 and 1999 is shown in the table. Prescriptions dispensed by dispensing doctors cannot be analysed in this way.
Net ingredient cost of prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, 1977, 1980, 1990 and 1999 England £ million Year Charged1 Exempt and NHS LIS2 No charge contraceptives Grant total 1977 175.7 250.5 8.2 434.4 1980 262.7 444.1 9.2 716.0 1990 543.1 1,508.2 27.9 2,079.2 1999 946.9 3,848.3 40.5 4,835.7 1 Includes prescriptions dispensed to pre-payment certificate holders 2 NHS LIS: NHS Low Income Scheme Notes:
1. The analysis is based on a 1 in 20 sample of all prescriptions submitted to the Prescription Pricing Authority by community pharmacists and appliance contractors. Items dispensed by dispensing doctors and personal administration prescriptions are excluded. Dispensing doctor prescriptions are not analysed into exempt, non exempt, or other categories; personally administered items are free of charge. The analysis of exempt and chargeable prescriptions is available only from 1977.
2. 1997, 1980 and 1990 data are based on fees. 1999 data are based on items.
3. The net ingredient cost (NIC) is the basic cost of a drug and does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.