Request

We are aiming to evaluate whether the introduction of the Wessex Asthma Network Guidelines (in September 2024) has had an impact on short-acting beta-agonist prescribing in children/young people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Via the ePACT2 dashboard we can obtain data on prescribing of 6+ SABA inhalers over 12 months in all age groups. We would, however, like to obtain age-group specific data i.e. data for 1-5 year olds, 6-11 year old and 12-17 year olds and data for males vs females . We are also keen to obtain data on: prescribing of 3+ SABA inhalers, montelukast prescriptions and Symbicort inhaler prescriptions.  We would like to review data from September 2023 to September 2025.

Please could you advise whether it would be possible to obtain the prescribing data outlined above for practices across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. I would be very happy to meet to discuss further.

On 10 April 2025 you clarified your request with the following:

We would like monthly data from September 2023 to September 2025 as we are looking at prescribing rates pre and post introduction of the Wessex Asthma Network guidelines in September 2024. Would you be able to provide from September 2023 to present now and we will then resubmit a request later in the year to obtain data up to September 2025?

Yes, we would like patient counts/proportions as presented on the respiratory dashboard. Please could we have monthly counts/proportions for each practice within the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB for all children, for the age groups we have specified (1-5 years, 6-11 years and 12-17 years) and for males vs females?

Symbicort- please could you provide separate figures for Symbicort 100/6, Symbicort 200/6 and Symbicort 100/3?

On 7 May 2025 you further clarified the following:

I can confirm that the Symbicort drugs you have listed are those that we would like to be included in the data.

Response

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested, and a copy of the information is attached.

Please read the notes below to ensure correct understanding of the data.

NHSBSA

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 totaling 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

All prescribing between September 2023 and February 2025. However, for the SABA files, prescribing from October 2022 was considered but is a 12-month-rolling metric so displayed against September 2023 - Feb 2025 only

Organisation Data

The data is for prescriptions dispensed in the community of NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB - QRL00.

Drugs and appliances

Limited to prescribing of 3+, 6+ SABA inhalers, Montelukast and Symbicort drugs separately. Drugs are listed within the 'Drugs' supporting document.

Please note that if a patient has received more than one prescription for the same presentation in the same period from the same practice and dispenser, each of these prescriptions would be included.

Patient Age

Data is limited to forms where an NHS Number and age is captured as 1–5-year-olds, 6–11-year-olds and 12-17 year olds

Identified Patients

Prescriptions are only included in the data if an NHS number was captured during processing.

For further information please refer to the respiratory dashboard specifications: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/access-our-data-products/epact2/dashboards-and-specifications/respiratory-dashboard

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.

Where patient identifiable figures have been reported they are based on the information captured during the prescription processing activities. Please note, patient details cannot be captured from every prescription form and based on the criteria used for this analysis, NHS numbers and ages are available for 99.41% of prescription items for drugs involved in the SABA metrics.

Publishing this response

Please note that this information will be published on our Freedom of Information disclosure log at:

https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/foi-02702

Your personal details will be removed from the published response.

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:

“Dental Services, NHSBSA Copyright 2025” 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.