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National Statistics
Publication, Part of

Prescriptions Dispensed in the Community - Statistics for England, 2001-2011

Official statistics, National statistics
Publication Date:
Geographic Coverage:
England
Date Range:
01 Jan 2001 to 31 Dec 2011

Summary

This bulletin presents a summary of prescriptions dispensed in the community by community pharmacists, appliance contractors and dispensing doctors in England. The bulletin highlights recent changes and the main trends between 2001 and 2011.

Highlights

  • 961.5 million prescription items were dispensed overall, a 3.8 per cent increase (34.9 million items) on the previous year. The average number of prescription items per head of the population in 2011 is 18.3, compared to 17.7 items in the previous year.
  • The total net ingredient cost of prescriptions dispensed was £8.8 billion, a 0.3 per cent fall on the previous year. The average cost per head of the population has fallen to £167.22, from £169.13 in 2010. The average net ingredient cost per prescription item has fallen from £9.53 in 2010 to £9.16 in 2011.
  • The leading BNF Chapter in terms of net ingredient cost is again the Central Nervous System and in terms of prescription items dispensed is again the Cardiovascular System.
  • The leading BNF Section in terms of in terms of net ingredient cost is again Drugs used in Diabetes and prescription items dispensed is again Hypertension and Heart Failure.
  • 68.9 per cent of all prescription items were dispensed as generic medicines representing 29.8 per cent of the total cost. In 2010 these figures were 67.4 per cent and 29.6 per cent respectively and in 2001 they were 52.2 per cent and 17.8 per cent respectively.

Administrative Sources

Prescription Cost Analysis

Resources

Last edited: 22 March 2022 1:40 pm