Important:
Coming Soon: Transition to the English Prescribing Dataset (EPD) with SNOMED CT Codes
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is preparing to transition to the English Prescribing Dataset (EPD), with Systematised Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) codes as the primary dataset.
To ensure a smooth transition, both versions will be available for three months following the initial publication—currently expected in May 2025 (subject to change). After this period, only the EPD with SNOMED CT codes will be published.
We will also be addressing several data issues:
- YEAR_MONTH will be updated to be ISO-compliant
- ICB_NAME will no longer be truncated
- PCO_NAME will retain its code at the end but will no longer be truncated
- NIC values will be provided to 2 decimal places
- ACTUAL_COST values will be provided to 5 decimal places
- ADQUSAGE values will be provided to 5 decimal places
- ADQUSAGE will be renamed ADQ_USAGE
Dataset Description
The English Prescribing Dataset (EPD) is a comprehensive monthly dataset capturing all prescriptions issued by NHS primary care prescribers in England and dispensed in the community. This includes prescriptions from GPs, nurses, and other authorised primary care prescribers. The dataset is openly available via the NHS Business Services Authority’s (NHSBSA) Open Data Portal, promoting transparency and enabling widespread analysis.
With approximately 17 million rows of data added each month, the EPD provides one of the most detailed views of NHS prescribing activity of England. It is a crucial resource for analysing prescribing trends, costs, and behaviours at both national and local levels.
Key Features
- Practice-Level Information: Each record is linked to a specific NHS GP practice or primary care organisation, enabling local-level analysis.
- BNF and SNOMED CT Codes: Prescriptions are classified using Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT), British National Formulary (BNF) codes, and Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d), ensuring standardised identification and interoperability across NHS systems.
- Prescription Costs: Captures the financial cost associated with each prescription, reflecting reimbursement claims.
- Quantities Dispensed: Provides data on the volume of items prescribed and dispensed.
- Data Granularity: The dataset offers detailed insights down to the individual prescription level, allowing in-depth analyses of prescribing patterns and trends.
Additional Dataset Guidance: Further details on this dataset can be found in the English Prescribing Dataset Release Guidance (ODT: 237KB).
Use Cases and Benefits
The EPD supports a range of users, including healthcare professionals, policy-makers, and researchers. Key applications include:
- Healthcare Research: Enables analysis of prescribing patterns, medication usage, and adherence to clinical guidelines across different regions and demographics.
- Service Planning: Helps NHS organisations identify prescribing trends, evaluate costs, and assess policy impacts.
- Public Health Monitoring: Tracks national health priorities, such as antibiotic usage, controlled drug prescriptions, and emerging treatments.
- Optimising NHS Resources: Supports data-driven decision-making to improve prescribing cost-effectiveness.
- Digital Healthcare Alignment: Enhances interoperability by integrating with NHS England’s digital health strategy.
- Integration with Other Datasets: Can be linked with hospital episode statistics, public health records, and other datasets to provide a more comprehensive view of patient care and prescribing impacts.
Supporting Healthcare Objectives
The dataset provides unique insights into prescribing behaviours, enabling:
- Monitoring of health inequalities by examining regional prescribing trends.
- Evaluation of guideline adherence, such as the reduction of high-risk medications.
- Promotion of cost-effective prescribing through analysis of generic vs. branded medications.
- Antimicrobial stewardship by tracking antibiotic prescriptions and other key drug classes.
Overview of Service
Information about our NHSBSA Prescriptions Data service can be found here - Prescription data | NHSBSA
Data Source
NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) Data Warehouse.
Data collection
The English Prescribing Dataset (EPD) is compiled from multiple NHSBSA data sources to ensure accuracy and consistency in prescription records.
- BNF Data: Sourced from the NHSBSA drug database, which maintains the British National Formulary (BNF) classification system as implemented prior to edition 70.
- SNOMED CT Data: Extracted from the NHSBSA drug database, ensuring alignment with standardised clinical terminology.
- Organisational Data: Derived from the NHSBSA organisational database, providing up-to-date information on NHS GP practices and primary care organisations.
- Prescription Data: Includes all prescription items prescribed in the community in England and submitted to NHSBSA for reimbursement and remuneration by dispensing contractors on a monthly basis.
Time Periods
Publication Frequency: Data is uploaded monthly, typically around the 20th, following the NHSBSA prescription data refresh.
Data is published retrospectively with a two-month delay. For example, January data is published in March.
Historical Data: Records are available from January 2018 onwards.
Geography
Prescriptions issued in England that have been dispensed in England, Wales, Scotland, Guernsey, Alderney, Jersey, and the Isle of Man.
Caveats
Information: Data Structure and Code changes
- The SNOMED CT and BNF codes linked to a product may change over time. As the dataset is static, the codes within each report are only relevant to the specific month of publication.
- More detailed information on the BNF hierarchical structure is available for reference (BNF Code Information Historic Dataset on the NHSBSA Open Data Portal). However, this data is taken from a different date point and does not directly align with the EPD dataset.
Information: Exclusion of Medicines Supplied Under Patient Group Directions (PGDs)
The EPD dataset does not capture any medicines that are supplied under PGDs, (structured protocols allowing specific healthcare professionals (like pharmacists) to supply or administer medicines without a prescription). Services operating under PGDs that are excluded from EPD:
- Pharmacy First Clinical Pathways (PFCP) – e.g. treatments for minor ailments
- Contraception services
- Smoking cessation support
- Urgent medicines supply
- Seasonal flu vaccinations
These services are tracked separately. For more insights into these areas:
Information: Exclusion of Dental Prescribing
Prescriptions issued by dentists and dispensed in the community are not included in the EPD dataset.
Information: Hospital Prescribing: Site Code vs. Cost Centre
There is a distinction in hospital prescribing data included in EPD:
- Excluded: Items prescribed using Hospital Site codes and dispensed in the community
- Included: Items prescribed using Hospital Cost Centre codes, even if dispensed in the community
This means that although both may represent hospital-originated prescriptions, only those tied to cost centres are within EPD scope. For further analysis of Hospital Site code prescribing, refer to the Hospital Prescribing Dispensed in the Community Dataset, which excludes Hospital Cost Centre data to avoid duplication.
Information: Financial Data Methodology
Information: SNOMED CT and BNF Code Mapping
- More detailed mapping of medicine and appliance products with their associated SNOMED CT and BNF codes is available at BNF SNOMED mapping | NHSBSA. The timing of these reports is aligned to the monthly EPD dataset.
Enquiries
Who can I contact if I have queries relating to the data?
If you have any queries regarding the data provided, or if you plan on publishing, the data please contact DataServicesSupport@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the name of the dataset for reference. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.
Citing and Reusing This Data
Important information regarding reusing the data and copyright
If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk . This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.
The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/
Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2025” Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.
Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.
Citation
NHS Business Services Authority. "English Prescribing Dataset (EPD) with SNOMED Code" NHS Business Services Authority Open Data. Accessed [Date Accessed]. URL: https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/english-prescribing-dataset-epd-with-snomed-code
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