FOI-03338

I am writing to confirm that I have now completed my search for the information which you requested. 
 
##Request 
 
You asked us: 
 
<i>Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide primary-care prescribing data for denosumab for Jan 2014 to Oct 2025: 
 
<span style="display: block; padding-left: 1em;">• Time: monthly. <br></span>
<span style="display: block; padding-left: 1em;">• Geography: by ICB (or CCG for earlier years); include national totals.<br> </span>
<span style="display: block; padding-left: 1em;">• Metrics: items, quantity, and actual cost (or NIC if actual cost not available). <br></span>
<span style="display: block; padding-left: 1em;">• Products in scope: denosumab as Prolia 60 mg/mL PFS and Xgeva 120 mg/1.7 mL <span style="display: block; padding-left: 0.9em;">(please include all denosumab presentations; if helpful, map via dm+d codes). <br></span></span>
<span style="display: block; padding-left: 1em;">• Outputs: machine-readable (CSV/Excel). <br></span>
<span style="display: block; padding-left: 1em;">• Metadata: data dictionary (field definitions), any small-number suppression rules, and notes on classification changes (CCG→ICB). </span>
 
If some fields aren’t held, please supply what is available </i>
 
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 3 November 2025.  
 
We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.  
 
##Our response 
 
<b>October 2025</b>
 
Under Section 22 of the Act, we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is scheduled to be published in the future.  
 
The data will be published at the below web link: 
 
https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/english-prescribing-dataset-epd-with-snomed-code   
 
EPD data is published approximately on the 20th of the month. So October data will arrive on approx. 20 December 2025. 
 
Section 22 is a qualified exemption and therefore, subject to a public interest test to consider whether the public interest in maintaining the exemption is greater than the public interest in disclosing the requested information.

<b>Factors for disclosure </b>
 
<span style="display: block; padding-left: 1em;">• Public Accountability</span>  
 
<b>Factors for withholding</b>
 
<span style="display: block; padding-left: 1em;">• Planned publication of the information requested at a future date.</span>

<span style="display: block; padding-left: 1em;">• This is work in progress and has not been completed, the incremental advantage <span style="display: block; padding-left: 0.9em;">to releasing this information now (rather than upon the planned publication date) is outweighed by the fact that the plans have not been finalised and may be subject to significant change and therefore it is inappropriate to disclose at the present time.</span></span>

<span style="display: block; padding-left: 1em;">• The information currently held may not be consistent, the incremental advantage <span style="display: block; padding-left: 0.9em;">to releasing this information now (rather than upon the planned publication date) is outweighed by the fact that the data may be misleading as it could be subject to significant change and therefore it is inappropriate to disclose at the present time. </span></span>

<span style="display: block; padding-left: 1em;">• Prescribing data is provided to affected parties prior to publication, allowing <span style="display: block; padding-left: 0.9em;">them to act on the information prior to it being made publicly available. </span></span>
 
<b>Reasons why public interest favours withholding information</b>
  
I consider that the advantage to releasing this information now (rather than upon the planned publication) is outweighed by the potential prejudice to the completeness and consistency of the data provided. 
 
Please see the following link to view the section 22 in full 
 
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/22 
 
<b>January 2014 to September 2025</b>
 
Under Section 21 of the FOIA we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you.  
 
The information you requested is available on the following NHSBSA. 
 
<b>January 2014 – June 2025</b>
 
https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/english-prescribing-data-epd  
 
<b>Post June 2025</b>
 
https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/english-prescribing-dataset-epd-with-snomed-code  
 
Please see the following link to view the section 21 in full - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/21 
 
##Advice and assistance 
 
Before downloading the data, you can add a filter for ‘Denosumab’ on the ‘CHEMICAL_SUBSTANCE_BNF_DESCR’ field. On the Post June 2025 datasets, the field to filter by is ‘BNF_CHEMICAL_SUBSTANCE’. This will show the information requested at ICB level. 

Tags: ICBs, Prescibing, Primary Care Services
Organization: Freedom of Information Disclosure Log