HC Deb 14 May 2004 vol 421 cc625-6W
Mrs. Helen Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many items of(a) anti-psychotic drugs excluding atypicals and (b) atypical anti-psychotic drugs were prescribed in (i) January to March 2000 and (ii) January to March 2003; [172417]

(2) how many anti-psychotic drug items were prescribed in (a) January to March 2000 and (b) January to March 2003. [172418]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The information requested is shown in the table. The data covers prescription items dispensed in the community in England only. It does not cover prescription items dispensed in hospitals/mental health trusts or private prescriptions.

Number of prescription items (thousands) of anti-psychotics

dispensed in the community in England January to March 2000 and

January to March 2003

Prescription items (thousands)
January to

March 2000

January to

March 2003

Anti-psychotics excluding atypicals 953.5 574.4
Atypical anti-psychotics 244.5 701.2
Total anti-psychotics 1,198.1 1,275.6

Notes:

1. The prescription information is from the Prescription Cost Analysis system and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispensed in the community, i.e. by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England. Also included are prescriptions written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospital or private prescriptions.

2. Antipsychotics are defined in the table as British National Formulary paragraph 4.2.1 "Antipsychotic drugs". Antipsychotic depot injections (BNF paragraph 4.2.2) are not included in this data.

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