Practice level prescribing data is released on the 24th of the month or the first working day afterwards. For example September 2018 data will be published on Monday 26 November 2018.
For each practice in England, the following prescription information is presented at presentation level for each medicine, dressing and appliance that has been subsequently dispensed in the community in the UK:
- the total number of items prescribed and dispensed
- the total net ingredient cost
- the total actual cost
- the total quantity (in terms of number of tablets or millilitres, for example)
The data does not cover practices in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Presentation level means data is provided at the level of each individual drug name, form and strength or size. It does not list each individual prescription and doesn't contain any patient identifiable data.
This data is published and made available under the Open Government Licence as part of the government's commitment to transparency. The data comes from NHS Prescription Services, part of the NHS Business Services Authority (BSA). Practice level prescribing data is obtained from the BSA's prescribing and dispensing information systems.
For each month there are 3 files:
Practice Prescribing Data file
This is the main data file giving the practice level prescribing data at presentation level using the full 15 digit BNF code.
GP prescribing chemical substance file
This gives the chemical substance or section as appropriate using the 9 digit (Drugs) or 4 digit (Appliances) BNF code.
GP prescribing practice address file
This gives the practice name and address.
Practice prescribing data requires careful interpretation, and the information should not be looked at in isolation.