§ Sir Irvine PatnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions were issued in the Sheffield health authority area for each of the last five years; and how many were exempt from payment.
§ Mr. MaloneThe information available is shown in the table. Comparable information for years before 1991 is not available.
45W
Prescription items dispensed in Sheffield Family Health Services Authority: 1991–93 Prescription items dispensed (thousands)1 1991 1992 1993 Total2 5,146 5,393 5,644 With no charge3 4,161 4,412 4,656 1 The figures relate to prescription items dispensed in Sheffield FHSA, regardless of where they were written, and may include prescriptions written by hospital doctors, dentists and armed services doctors and dentists. 2 The total includes all prescription items dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered. 3The analysis of exempt prescription items is based on a one in 20 sample of all prescriptions. submitted to the Prescription Pricing Authority by community pharmacists and appliance contractors. In this table "With no charge" prescriptions include those dispensed under the NHS low income scheme and no charge contraceptives.