FOI-02723

##Request

You asked us:

We are currently looking for data on clozapine (ATC code N05AH02) prescribing rates in England.
 
Is it possible to submit a data access request to you, or do you keep this information? Specifically, we are looking for the following information:
 
Number of defined daily doses (DDD)/1,000 inhabitants/per day each year over the period of 2014-2024, inclusive.
 
Date Range: 01/01/14 to 31/12/24

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 2 April 2025. 

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.

##Our response

###Daily Aggregation 

I am writing to advise you that following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that a daily breakdown of Defined Daily Dose (DDD) data is not held by the NHSBSA. Therefore, we have provided an annual DDD usage figure.

###Population Data

I am writing to advise you that following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that the information you requested is not held by the NHSBSA. We do not hold population data to be able to provide a reliable estimate of DDD Usage per 1,000 inhabitants in England.
 
However, the Office of National Statistics provides publicly available population data which can be used to calculate an answer to your question.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates

###Remaining Information

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested and a copy of the information and notes explaining it is attached.

Please read the below notes to ensure 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 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

Calendar years 2014 – 2024.

###Organisation Data

The data is restricted to presentations prescribed in England only and dispensed within the community.

###DDD usage

The DDD (Defined Daily Dose) is the assumed average maintenance dose per day for a drug used for its main indication in adults, the DDD value is formulated by the World Health Organisation – for this analysis the DDD dose value was set at 300mg. DDD usage is the number of days’ worth prescribed.

###Data

Limited to presentations linked to the BNF Chemical Substance – Clozapine BNF 0402010C0 (ATC code N05AH02). Presentations included within this data are listed below:

__BNF Presentation Code	BNF Presentation__

0402010C0AAAAAA	Clozapine 25mg tablets

0402010C0AAABAB	Clozapine 100mg tablets

0402010C0AAACAC	Clozapine 50mg tablets

0402010C0AAADAD	Clozapine 200mg tablets

0402010C0AAAEAE	Clozapine 50mg/ml oral suspension sugar free

0402010C0BBAAAA	Clozaril 25mg tablets

0402010C0BBABAB	Clozaril 100mg tablets

0402010C0BCAAAA	Denzapine 25mg tablets

0402010C0BCABAB	Denzapine 100mg tablets

0402010C0BCACAC	Denzapine 50mg tablets

0402010C0BCAEAE	Denzapine 50mg/ml oral suspension

0402010C0BDAAAA	Zaponex 25mg tablets

0402010C0BDABAB	Zaponex 100mg tablets

0402010C0AAAFAF	Clozapine 100mg/5ml oral liquid

0402010C0AAAHAH	Clozapine 12.5mg orodispersible tablets sugar 
free

0402010C0AAAJAJ		Clozapine 50mg orodispersible tablets sugar free

0402010C0AAAKAK	Clozapine 100mg orodispersible tablets sugar free

0402010C0AAALAL		Clozapine 200mg orodispersible tablets sugar free

0402010C0BCADAD	Denzapine 200mg tablets

0402010C0BDACAH	Zaponex 12.5mg orodispersible tablets

0402010C0BDAEAJ	Zaponex 50mg orodispersible tablets

0402010C0BDAGAL	Zaponex 200mg orodispersible tablets

0402010C0AAAIAI		Clozapine 25mg orodispersible tablets sugar 
free

0402010C0BDAFAK	Zaponex 100mg orodispersible tablets

0402010C0BDADAI		Zaponex 25mg orodispersible tablets

##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: “ePACT2, NHSBSA Copyright 2025”. 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.


Tags: Drug data, NHS Prescription Services
Organization: Freedom of Information Disclosure Log