Thank you for your request for information as outlined below:

I would like to make a Freedom of Information request for some data please. We are looking for monthly data from January 2019 until the current month for FP34PCD prescribing. We do not want to identify any individual prescriber, rather the organisation or the address of the organisation issuing the prescription.

The information we are requesting are: Prescribing period (month/year), Prescriber Organisation Code (where available), Prescriber Organisation Address, BNFCode, Items, Quantity and NIC. We would like this data in csv format.

Your request was subsequently clarified with:

We are happy to take the data at ICB level, and without address details. Items and Quantity will also be fine.

So to summarise, we are requesting: Prescribing period (month/year), ICB code, BNFCode, Items and Quantity

I can confirm we are not requesting information relating to CD requisitions, only private prescriptions.

Your clarified request was received on 2nd March 2023 and has been dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Response

A copy of the information is attached.

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 – ePACT2

Data in ePACT2 is sourced from the NHSBSA Data Warehouse and is derived from products prescribed on prescriptions and dispensed in the Community. The data captured from prescription processing is used to calculate reimbursement and remuneration. It includes items prescribed in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Guernsey / Alderney, Jersey and Isle of Man which have been dispensed in the community in England. English prescribing that has been dispensed in Wales, Scotland, Guernsey / Alderney, Jersey and Isle of Man is also included. 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.

Time Period

January 2019 – December 2022 (monthly)

Organisation Data

The data provided is for private CD prescriptions prescribed in England at Integrated Care Board (ICB) level.

Please note: Data before April 2020 is at Area level which was the geography structure at that time. A date with the letter 'C' in brackets - example (C 01-Apr-20) against the Area (in the ICB column) indicates that this organisation is closed as of the date stated. Unidentified Doctors relates to prescription forms which could not be allocated to an ICB.

Dataset

This dataset is limited to the English private prescribing for Schedule 2 and 3 Controlled Drugs Currently private prescriptions are only required to be submitted to the NHSBSA for schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs for monitoring purposes. Ref Drug Tariff Part XX https://www.drugtariff.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/#/00831895-DC_1/DC00831745/Part%20XX%20-%20Requisitions%20and%20Private%20Prescriptions%20for%20Controlled%20Drugs

Private Controlled Drug Items

Items shows the number of times a product appears on a prescription form not the quantity prescribed.

Private Controlled Drug Total Quantity

Total quantity is the number of items multiplied by the quantity prescribed. e.g. 2 items prescribed, one with a quantity of 2 and one with a quantity of 3, the total quantity would show as 5 (1 item x quantity of 2) + (1 item x quantity of 3)

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 nhsbsa.communicationsteam@nhs.net. 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.