§ Paul FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions have been issued for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for(a) children and (b) adults in each of the last 10 years. [169897]
320W
§ Ms Rosie WintertonInformation on the total number of prescription items of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) dispensed in the community in England and the estimated number of prescription items of SSRIs dispensed in the community in England to children and adults are shown in the table. Figures for the total number of SSRI items are provided for the last 10 years (1994 to 2003). However, the Department does not have information on the estimated numbers of prescription items dispensed to children or adults available before 1999.
Total number of prescription items of SSRIs, and estimated number of prescription items of SSRIs dispensed to children and adults which were dispensed in the community in England, 1994 to 2003
Total number of prescription items of SSRIs and estimated number of prescription items of SSRIs
dispensed to children and adults which were dispensed
in the community in England, 1994 to 2003
Thousand Estimated number of prescription items dispensed to:
Total number of prescription items
Children Adults 1994 2,681.2 1— 1— 1995 3,807.8 1— 1— 1996 5,136.0 1— 1— 1997 6,555.8 1— 1— 1998 7,581.6 1— 1— 1999 8,929.4 100 8,800 2000 10,442.5 110 10,000 2001 12,085.1 150 12,000 2002 13,304.0 170 13,000 2003 13,816.9 110 14,000 1 Information for groups of patients not required to pay a charge (e.g. children) prior to 1999 is not available. Notes:
1. PCA data covers all prescription items that were dispensed in the community in England. It does not include items dispensed in hospitals or private prescriptions.
2. Information for groups of patients not required to pay a charge (e.g. children) is based on a 1 in 20 sample of all exempt prescriptions dispensed in the community. The information for children and hence adults is therefore an estimate and subject to sampling errors. To reflect this the figures have been rounded appropriately. (Figures over 100,000 are rounded to the nearest 10,000. Figures over a million are rounded to the nearest 100,000, and figures over 10 million are rounded to the nearest million.) Rounding applies to exemption data only. The total number of SSRI prescriptions is an actual figure (not an estimate) and has not been rounded. The number of items dispensed to adults was estimated by subtracting the estimates for children from the total SSRI items. Hence, rounding also applies to the adults.
3. Due to rounding, the sum of the components may not equal the total items.
4. Data on exemption categories for SSRIs is only available from 1999. The exemption data for children and adults for 1999 and 2000 is not strictly comparable with data for 2001 onwards. Exemption data for children and adults from 2001 is based on a 1 in 20 sample of all exempt prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists, appliance contractors and dispensing doctors. Exemption data for 1999 and 2000 is based on those dispensed by chemists and appliance contractors only and excludes those dispensed by dispensing doctors. No exemption figures for dispensing doctor for 1999 and 2000 are available but the figures presented are the best estimates of the total figure for children and adult prescriptions. This does not apply to the total number of SSRI prescription items—data for all years includes all items dispensed in the community (including dispensing doctors).
5. Children are defined here as children aged under 16 and young people in full-time education aged 16,17 or 18.
321W6. The exemption data is identified from the box ticked on the back of the prescription form and relies on the form being completed correctly which may not always be the case.
7. SSRIs are defined in the British National Formulary (BNF) paragraph 4.3.3.
8. Data in the table is in thousands.
9. Definition of prescription item: Doctors write prescriptions on a prescription form. Each single item written on the form is counted as a prescription item.
Source:
Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) data from the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA).
In-patient waiting lists by Commissioner for Bottle residents Waiting list in months Quarter Name TWL 0–21 3–51 6–41 9–111 12–141 15–171 1996–07 4 Sefton HA 9,239 4,046 2,247 1,531 1,166 246 3 1997–08 4 Sefton HA 8,975 4,204 1,952 1,328 984 367 80 1998–09 4 Sefton HA 7,967 4,031 1,634 1,142 745 325 90 1999–2000 4 Sefton HA 7531 3,603 1,773 1,158 644 237 116 2000–01 4 Sefton HA 7,436 3,987 1,638 971 455 278 107 2001–02 4 Sefton HA 7,155 3,837 1753 1,002 464 99 0
Month Name TWL 0–21 3–51 6–41 9–111 12–141 15–171 2002–03 March 2003 South Sefton PCT 3,917 2,581 841 369 726 0 0 2003–04 December 2003 South Sefton PCT 3,689 2,744 689 230 26 0 0 1 Not seen Source: Department of Health QF01
Out-patient Commissioner waiting list data GP referral to Consultant waiting list in weeks Name 13 to 251 26 +1 1997–08 Sefton HA 1,936 243 1998–09 Sefton HA 2,153 911 1999–2000 Sefton HA 2,241 883 2000–01 Sefton HA 1,358 779 2001–02 Sefton HA 1,141 0
Name 13–171 17–211 21–261 26 + March 2003 South Sefton PCT 218 85 0 0 September 2003 South Sefton PCT 441 102 0 0 1 Not seen Source: Department of Health QM08R