This dataset is retired
This now retired dataset provides Secondary Care Medicines data on processed pharmacy stock control data in NHS Trusts across England.
For regularly updated data which includes indicative costs, users can instead access the Secondary Care Medicines Data (SCMD) with Indicative Price or the soon to be available Finalised Secondary Care Medicines Data with Indicative Price.
Retired SCMD Data Information - Reference Only
We are making changes to the Secondary Care Medicines data (SCMD). No new monthly data files will be added to this page.
We currently publish Secondary Care Medicines Data in two locations on the Open Data Portal. We are consolidating this so that we will only provide one version of the SCMD. The version that we will continue to publish is the SCMD with an indicative price metric. The dataset with indicative price was in the Experiment Area theme and has been moved into the Hospital & Provider Medicines theme. This dataset page will then be retired.
Secondly, the data we publish has been in a monthly provisional format. We hold a yearly and validated final version of this data in our data warehouse. We will be removing all of the provisional monthly files for previous years and will publish the finalised monthly files instead. For example, all 12 provisional monthly files from 2020 will be removed and will be replaced with 12 final monthly files for the whole of 2020.
Provisional monthly files will continue to be published for the current year until the finalised yearly file is available.
In summary:
- We now publish only one SCMD, and it is the version with indicative price included.
- We will remove all provisional monthly files for previous years and publish the finalised monthly files instead.
- We continue to publish provisional files for the current year until we receive the finalised yearly file.
Dataset Description
The retired dataset contains the following key components:
- Quantities of Medicines Issued:
Details the total quantities of medicines stock control via NHS Secondary Care services.
- Standardisation with SNOMED CT and dm+d:
- SNOMED CT (Systematised Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms) is used to enhance the dataset’s compatibility with electronic health record systems and clinical decision support tools. SNOMED CT is a globally recognised coding system that provides precise definitions for clinical terms, ensuring interoperability across healthcare systems.
- NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices, dm+d codes are used for medicines standardisation, offering a structured format for identifying medicines and their associated attributes (e.g., strength, form, route of administration).
Together, SNOMED CT and dm+d enable seamless integration of this dataset with clinical systems and improve the dataset’s usability for healthcare providers and researchers.
- Trust-Level Data:
Data is broken down by individual NHS Trusts, enabling regional comparisons, benchmarking, and targeted analysis of specific Trusts.
- Medicine Identification:
Medicines in the dataset are identified using Virtual Medicinal Product (VMP) codes from the Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d):
VMP_PRODUCT_NAME: The name of the Virtual Medicinal Product (VMP) as defined by the dm+d, which includes key details about the product. For example: Paracetamol 500mg tablets.
VMP_SNOMED_CODE: The code for the Virtual Medicinal Product (VMP), providing a unique identifier for each product. For example: 42109611000001109 represents Paracetamol 500mg tablets.
By making this data publicly available, the NHSBSA aims to enhance transparency, accountability, and the effective use of NHS resources.
Overview of Service
Information about our NHSBSA Prescriptions Data service can be found here - Prescription data | NHSBSA
- The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) publishes this dataset, provided by RX Info, which contains information about pharmacy stock control in NHS secondary care settings across England on behalf of NHS England. It includes data from NHS Trusts and is standardised using the Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d) format.
For further context about the Secondary Care Medicines Data, you can explore the following resources:
Secondary Care Medicines Data Release Guidance v0.5 (Word: 78.3KB)
RX Info: RX Info is the provider of the data related to pharmacy stock control medicines issued in NHS Secondary Care settings, which is made available by NHSBSA. Visit RX Info's website for more details.
Data Source
The data is sourced from NHS Trusts' pharmacy stock control systems which capture detailed records of medicines issued, including quantities.
The data is provided to NHSBSA by RX Info, a data provider that supplies records on medicines issued in NHS Secondary Care settings.
Data quality controls are in place to exclude transactions flagged as outliers, non-standardised items and zero activity. No personal or patient-identifiable information is included, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.
Data Collection
Data is from NHS England sites only and provided under the agreement entered into by Trusts and Rx-Info (Define) facilitated by NHS England. The data owners and data controllers are the respective NHS Trusts.
Time Period
Monthly files covering January 2019 to December 2022
Geography
NHS Trusts in England
Caveats
Further understanding of the information provided can be found in the guidance:
Exclusions: The dataset does not include medicines prescribed in primary care (e.g., GP surgeries) or private healthcare providers, or NHS prescriptions supplied by hospitals dispensed in community pharmacy.
NHS Business Services are publishing this data on behalf of NHS England and are not able to provide analytical support or interpretation of the data which is provided by individual NHS Trusts into the Rx-Info system.
Related Data and Statistics
Our Prescribing Costs in Hospitals and the Community official statistics publication also includes Secondary Care Medicines data with actual cost, broken down by British National Formulary (BNF) Section.
Citation
NHS Business Services Authority. "[Secondary Care Medicines Data (SCMD)]" NHS Business Services Authority Open Data. Accessed [Date Accessed]. URL: [https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/secondary-care-medicines-data].
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.
