HC Deb 13 July 1994 vol 246 cc603-4W
Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 6 July,Official Report, column 215, if she will provide whatever figures are available from the prescribing analyses and costs data produced by the Prescription Pricing Authority on the quantity of minor tranquillisers prescribed in (a) York, (b) North Yorkshire and (c) England in those years for which figures were collected.

Mr. Bowis

The number of prescription items for minor tranquillisers dispensed nationally since 1979 and in North Yorkshire in 1992 and 1993 is shown in the table:—

Minor tranquillisers: number of prescriptions (thousands) dispensed
Year England North Yorkshire Family Health Services Authority
1980 12,631
1981 12,354
1982 11,964

Year England North Yorkshire Family Health Services Authority
1983 11,292
1984 10,290
1985 9,090
1986 8,606
1987 8,086
1988 6,810
1989 6,044
1990 5,548
1991 5,554
1992 5,339 79
1993 5,175 74

Notes:

  1. 1. The data included in the attached table are for minor tranquillisers referred to in section 4.1.2 of the British National Formulary.
  2. 2. Information of this kind at FHSA level is not readily available for the years prior to 1992 and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  3. 3. 1980 to 1990 data are estimates based on fees and cover prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors only.
  4. 4. 1991 to 1993 data are based on items for all prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and personal administration.