Prescriptions (Hansard, 16 February 1999)

§ Mr. Peter Bradley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of branded drugs prescribed by GPs in 1997–98 was prescribed by dispensing practices and what proportion by non-dispensing practices; [71568]
(2) what proportion of (a) all drugs and (b) branded drugs prescribed by GPs were prescribed by dispensing practices in 1997£98. [71570]

§ Mr. Denham
The information requested is shown in the table.

Percentage of items prescribed in general practice¹ in England and dispensed in the community by prescriber, 1997–98²

Prescriber

Prescribing practices³ (%) Dispensing practices⁴ (%)

Branded, ie non-generic items ⁵ 82 18

All items 91 9

¹Information for items prescribed and dispensed in National Health Service hospitals is not available.

²The prescription information was obtained from the Prescribing Analyses and Cost (PACT) system and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions written by general practitioners and practice nurses in England which are dispensed in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. All figures exclude dressings and appliances.

³Drugs prescribed by prescribing practices which are dispensed by community pharmacists.

⁴Includes drugs prescribed by dispensing practices which are dispensed by community pharmacists.

⁵ In PACT, prescription items can be prescribed generically, and recorded as a generic, but dispensed and reimbursed as a proprietary because a generic does not exist. The percentage of non generic drugs prescribed in the reply does not include these items.

§ Mr. Peter Bradley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the average consultation rates of(a) a prescribing GP and (b) a dispensing GP. [71572]

§ Mr. Denham
The information requested is not available.

§ Mr. Peter Bradley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of drugs expenditure in 1997–98 was on branded drugs; [71591]
(2) what proportion of drugs prescribed in 1997–98 was branded. [71575]
731W

§ Mr. Denham
The information requested is shown in the table.

Items prescribed in general practice ¹ in England and dispensed in the community, 1997–98

Per cent.

Percentage of net ingredients cost² of prescription items which were branded, i.e. non generic drugs 49

Percentage of prescription items which were branded, i.e. non generic 37

¹ Information for items prescribed and dispensed in National Health Service hospitals is not available.

² The net ingredient cost is the basic cost of a drug. This cost does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charge income.

Source:
PPA, Prescribing Analyses and Cost (PACT) system

§ Mr. Peter Bradley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of drugs were prescribed in 1997–98 in hospitals and by GPs. [71569]

§ Mr. Denham
The information requested is not available. Data for items prescribed in National Health Service hospitals are not held centrally.

§ Mr. Peter Bradley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total overspend in 1997–98 of health authority-administered Family Health Service drugs budgets. [71573]

§ Mr. Denham
In 1997–98, health authorities overspent their Family Health Service drugs budget by a net total of £69 million.

§ Mr. Peter Bradley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average list size of(a) a prescribing GP and (b) a dispensing GP. [71571]

§ Mr. Denham
The information requested is shown in the table.

Average list sizes for dispensing and non-dispensing unrestricted principals in England as at 1 October 1997

Unrestricted principals¹ Average list size

Dispensing² 1,734

Non-dispensing 1,905

¹ An Unrestricted Principal is a practitioner who is in contract with a health authority to provide the full range of general medical services and whose list is not limited to any particular group of persons. Most people have an Unrestricted Principal as their general practitioner.

² A dispensing doctor is one who is authorised to prescribe and dispense prescriptions for patients who either have difficulty reaching a chemist due to inadequate means of transportation or who live in a rural area. The average list size for dispensing doctors includes all patients on the doctors' lists, not just those to whom the doctor is authorised to dispense.

Source:
Department of Health General Medical Services Statistics 1 October 1997

§ Mr. Peter Bradley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) dispensing and (b) non-dispensing GPs there were at the latest available date. [71567]

§ Mr. Denham
There were 4,263 dispensing and 22,836 non-dispensing general practitioners at 1 October 1997.
Source:
Department of Health General Medical Statistics 1 October 1997.
732W

Percentage of items prescribed in general practice¹ in England and dispensed in the community by prescriber, 1997–98²
	Prescriber
	Prescribing practices³ (%)	Dispensing practices⁴ (%)
Branded, ie non-generic items ⁵	82	18
All items	91	9
¹Information for items prescribed and dispensed in National Health Service hospitals is not available.
²The prescription information was obtained from the Prescribing Analyses and Cost (PACT) system and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions written by general practitioners and practice nurses in England which are dispensed in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. All figures exclude dressings and appliances.
³Drugs prescribed by prescribing practices which are dispensed by community pharmacists.
⁴Includes drugs prescribed by dispensing practices which are dispensed by community pharmacists.
⁵ In PACT, prescription items can be prescribed generically, and recorded as a generic, but dispensed and reimbursed as a proprietary because a generic does not exist. The percentage of non generic drugs prescribed in the reply does not include these items.

Items prescribed in general practice ¹ in England and dispensed in the community, 1997–98
Per cent.
Percentage of net ingredients cost² of prescription items which were branded, i.e. non generic drugs	49
Percentage of prescription items which were branded, i.e. non generic	37
¹ Information for items prescribed and dispensed in National Health Service hospitals is not available.
² The net ingredient cost is the basic cost of a drug. This cost does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charge income.

Average list sizes for dispensing and non-dispensing unrestricted principals in England as at 1 October 1997
Unrestricted principals¹	Average list size
Dispensing²	1,734
Non-dispensing	1,905
¹ An Unrestricted Principal is a practitioner who is in contract with a health authority to provide the full range of general medical services and whose list is not limited to any particular group of persons. Most people have an Unrestricted Principal as their general practitioner.
² A dispensing doctor is one who is authorised to prescribe and dispense prescriptions for patients who either have difficulty reaching a chemist due to inadequate means of transportation or who live in a rural area. The average list size for dispensing doctors includes all patients on the doctors' lists, not just those to whom the doctor is authorised to dispense.