Thank you for your request for information about the following:

I am looking for information through the Freedom of Information act, on linked prescribing if you are able to supply it. I would like to know the total number times over the last 12 months that a written (or if easier, a dispensed) prescription has had separate lines, but has included both a vaginal dilator set and a lubricant gel on the same prescription. I am not looking for product specific information but for ease of reference, this could include: Amielle Care, or Amielle Comfort, or Femmax and a product listed in the LUBRICANT GELS or VAGINAL MOISTURISERS section of the drug tariff.

Your request was received on 30th June and I am dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Response

Total number of prescription forms with items for vaginal dilator and lubricating gel: 310

Data Source:

NHSBSA Information Services Data Warehouse

Time Period:

Data is shown for the period April 2022 to March 2023 (single total for the whole period).

Contents:

The data shows the number of prescription forms issued in the time period which had one or more items of a vaginal dilator and one or more items of a lubricant product. Drug selections are based on BNF sections 21.14 (lubricant gels), 21.23 (vaginal moisturisers) and 21.25 (vaginal dilators). Prescription forms where a vaginal dilator and either a lubricant gel or vaginal moisturiser have been prescribed on the same form have been included.

The data provided is based on prescribing in all settings in England, where dispensed in the community. No restrictions have been placed on dispensing location.

NHSBSA Prescription Services process prescriptions and information is then used to make payments to pharmacists and appliance contractors (in England) for prescriptions dispensed in primary care settings. This involves processing approximately 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 users.

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

If you have any queries regarding the data provided, or if you plan on publishing the data please contact foidata@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

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 2023” This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

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.