Thank you for your request for information about the following:
Request
Thank you for providing us with this data, I have been reviewing the data but realised that my initial query was not clear enough, I apologise. I was looking to have the Prescribers address/postcode (visible in the English Prescribing Dataset (EPD) with SNOMED code dataset) combined with the existing Dispensing data you’ve provided us.
Previous FOI: https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/foi-02945
Response
I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested and a copy of the information and notes explaining it is attached.
Please read the below notes to ensure correct understanding of the data.
NHS Prescription Services process prescriptions for Pharmacy Contractors, Appliance Contractors, Dispensing Doctors and Personal Administration with information then used to make payments to pharmacists and appliance contractors in England for prescriptions dispensed in primary care settings (other arrangements are in place for making payments to Dispensing Doctors and Personal Administration). This involves processing over 1 billion prescription items and payments totalling over £9 billion each year. The information gathered from this process is then used to provide information on costs and trends in prescribing in England and Wales to over 25,000 registered NHS and Department of Health and Social Care users.
Data Source
The data source was the NHSBSA Information Services Data Warehouse.
Time Period
Monthly from April 2022 to March 2025
The data is for prescriptions dispensed by Appliance Contractors in the community in England.
Exclusions
The Data excludes:
• Items not dispensed, disallowed and those returned to the contractor for further clarification.
• Prescriptions prescribed and dispensed in Prisons, Hospitals and Private prescriptions.
• Items prescribed but not presented for dispensing or not submitted to NHS Prescription Services by the dispenser.
Data Queries
Please contact foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference if you have any specific questions regarding this response; or, if you feel you may be misunderstanding or misinterpreting the information; or, if you plan on publishing the data.
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: “Data Warehouse, 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.
![[Open Data]](/base/images/od_80x15_blue.png)