Request

Following publication of FOI 02780 I would like to request a re-run of the request to include the following chapters and fields by month for April, May and June 2025:

Chapters 20,21, 22 and 23

YEAR_MONTH

SICBL_NAME

SICBL_CODE

BNF_CODE

AGE_BAND

GENDER

ITEMS

TOTAL_QUANTITY

NIC_GBP

On 2 September 2025 you clarified your request with the following:

In relation to a previous published FOI 02780, I would like to request the following information.

I would like all the data detailed for Chapters 20,21, 22 and 23 for each month April, May and June 2025: The data provided should be for prescriptions dispensed and prescribed in England.

Prescribing should be split by Sub ICB Locations (SICBLs) and limited to prescribing within SICBLs.

The data should include the SICBL Name and code, the BNF code of the pack, the age band of the prescription, the gender of the patient, the total quantity and the net ingredient cost.

The data should be provided as an excel or CSV file.

On 18 September 2025 you further clarified your request with the following:

Yes if you could do the age breaks as specified 0-4, 5–9, 10–14, etc. that would be great.

Response

A copy of the information is attached. Please read the notes to ensure your 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 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

Monthly from April 2025 to June 2025

Sub ICB Locations

The data is for prescriptions prescribed in Sub ICB Locations (SICBLs) in England and dispensed in England.

BNF chapters

The data is limited to prescriptions in the following British National Formulary (BNF) chapters:

• BNF chapter 20: Dressings

• BNF chapter 21: Appliances

• BNF chapter 22 Incontinence Appliances

• BNF chapter 23 Stoma Appliances

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

• items supplied as part of an NHS Pharmacy First Service consultation

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: “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.