HC Deb 12 February 1993 vol 218 cc839-41W
157. Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the savings achieved in Scotland in each of the seven therapeutic categories covered by the limited list regulations of 1985 in each of the years 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991; and what were the total savings achieved in each year.

Mr. Stewart

In 1985–86, the first year of its operation, the selected list scheme saved £8.1 million on the Scottish NHS drugs bill. The savings in each of the therapeutic categories within the scheme were as follows:

£ thousands
Analgesics for mild to moderate pain 2,400
Antacids 465
Benzodiazepine tranquillisers and sedatives 1,995
Cough and cold remedies 2,301
Laxatives 105

Ingredient cost of prescriptions dispensed in the community
£ million
Health Board 1991–92 1990–91 1989–90 1988–89 1987–88 1986–87 1985–86
Argyll and Clyde 26.47 23.54 21.31 19.09 16.93 15.34 13.70
Ayrshire and Arran 23.98 21.47 19.54 17.25 15.41 13.98 12.45
Borders 5.82 5.21 4.76 4.28 3.85 3.49 3.12
Dumfries and Galloway 8.70 7.61 6.84 6.02 5.39 4.98 4.40
Fife 18.25 16.32 14.80 13.10 11.50 10.58 9.40
Forth Valley 15.83 13.74 12.29 10.94 9.69 8.82 7.93
Grampian 24.00 21.36 19.36 17.40 15.48 13.95 12.57
Greater Glasgow 54.64 48.79 44.50 39.54 35.45 32.21 28.84
Highland 10.19 8.97 7.99 6.98 6.13 5.49 4.84
Lanark 35.03 30.99 28.24 24.99 21.99 19.82 17.62
Lothians 38.42 34.48 31.68 28.51 25.66 23.27 20.75
Orkney 0.93 0.82 0.72 0.64 0.59 0.54 0.50
Shetland 0.94 0.85 0.75 0.66 0.60 0.54 0.48
Tayside 24.33 21.68 19.47 17.28 14.92 13.35 11.85
Western Isles 1.37 1.26 1.17 1.03 0.95 0.87 0.77
Scotland 288.91 257.09 233.42 207.70 184.54 167.23 149.22

Ingredient cost supplied to hospitals
£ million
Health Board 1991–92 1990–91 1989–90 1988–89 1987–88 1986–87 1985–86
Argyll and Clyde 3.59 2.79 2.64 2.29 2.03 1.59 1.63
Ayrshire and Arran 2.95 2.36 2.01 1.75 1.66 1.44 1.40
Borders 0.73 0.62 0.59 0.43 0.33 0.29 0.30
Dumfries and Galloway 1.35 0.99 0.88 0.74 0.70 0.60 0.53

£ thousands
Tonics and bitters 35
Vitamins 772

It is not possible to make meaningful estimates for subsequent years, but we have no reason to doubt that significant savings will continue to be made.

Mrs· Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prescription items per person in Scotland there have been each year since 1985.

Mr· Stewart

[holding answer 9 February 1993]: From the Scottish health service statistics the number of prescription items per person in each year since 1985 has been:

Year Number
1985 6.96
1986–87 7.04
1988 7.33
1989 7.59
1990 8.00
1991 8.22
1992 8.63

Mrs. Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the general practitioners drugs bill in Scotland has been each year since 1985; if he will provide a breakdown by health board; and what has been(a) the expenditure on NHS medicines and (b) the total NHS drugs bill in Scotland in each year.

Mr. Stewart

[holding answer of 9 February 1993]: The following are the cost of drugs dispensed in the community by health boards for each year since 1985 and the cost of drugs supplied to hospitals for the same years. Over 99 per cent. of the costs for drugs dispensed in the community relate to prescribing by GPs.

Health Board 1991–92 1990–91 1989–90 1988–89 1987–88 1986–87 1985–86
Fife 2.42 2.09 1.91 1.69 1.53 1.36 1.20
Forth Valley 2.24 1.97 1.82 1.61 1.53 1.45 1.27
Grampian 5.15 4.60 4.23 3.86 3.42 3.11 2.75
Greater Glasgow 14.66 13.34 12.27 16.70 10.05 9.52 9.52
Highland 1.58 1.47 1.22 1.07 1.02 0.87 0.74
Lanarkshire 4.47 4.24 3.88 3.47 3.08 2.86 2.74
Lothian 9.60 8.80 8.79 7.70 6.79 6.24 5.98
Orkney 0.10 0.08 0.08 0.07 0.08 0.06 0.06
Shetland 0.12 0.12 0.09 0.09 0.08 0.07 0.08
Tayside 5.44 4.72 4.19 3.97 3.68 3.04 3.02
Western Isles 0.20 0.11 0.15 0.12 0.11 0.10 0.09
Scotland 54.60 48.30 44.75 45.56 36.09 32.60 31.31
Scotland—community and hospital 343.51 305.39 278.17 253.26 220.63 199.83 180.53