Thank you for your request for information about the following:

Request

‘Please provide the total number of individuals who received multiple Penalty Charge Notices for what are effectively repeat prescriptions within a period of 12 months(from 1999 to April 2024 or latest data).

Specifically, I am interested in knowing how many instances occurred where multiple PCNs were issued to the same individual or entity for prescriptions that were repeated during the same investigation period.

For each instance identified, please specify the reason(s) for issuing multiple PCNs instead of consolidating them into a single notice.

Also please tell me if multiple PCNs were issued to the same individual for prescriptions that were repeated under an investigation period of 12 months or less, how many multiple PCNs were consolidated intoa single PCN?’

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 14 June 2024.

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.

Our response

I am writing to advise you that following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that the information you requested is not held by the NHS Business Services Authority.

We have no way to identify if a prescription is a repeat prescription. When a random check is conducted on a prescription and no valid exemption is found, an enquiry letter is issued. The system has no way to identify if a prescription is a repeat prescription and therefore, the requested information is not held by the NHSBSA.