FOI-03599

Thank you for your request for information about the following:

##Request

You asked us: 

<i>The number of biological males (based on the NHS information sex recorded at birth) in the age bands 0-18 years, 18-20 years, 20-24 years, 24-30 years, 30-40 years and 40 years+ and older currently being prescribed the following medications by the NHS in England (total figures) 

* Feminising hormones: 1) Oestrogen (oestradiol); 2) Progesterone 

* GnRH analogues: 3) Leuprorelin; 4) Triptorelin  

* Anti-androgen/Testosterone suppression: 5) Spironolactone, 6) Finasteride or dutasteride; 7) Cyproterone acetate  

* Progestin: 8) Desogestrel 

Please provide these data to show total number of  

A) All biological males by age bands above receiving this medication in England the 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years (running from April to March as normal in government), and for the same years: 

B) All biological males by age bands above in South-East of England only,  

C) All biological males by age bands above in Brighton and Hove, and
  
D) All biological males by age bands above who received the related prescription from WellBN, 18-19 Western Road, Brighton BN3 1AE. 

Please provide figures rounded and apply disclose thresholds be as per standard used across Government.  Please indicate where below threshold, but non-zero. 

The number of biological females (based on the NHS information sex recorded at birth) in the age bands 0-18 years, 18-20 years, 20-24 years, 24-30 years, 30-40 years and 40 years+ and older currently being prescribed the following medications by the NHS in England (total figures) 

* Masculising hormones: 1 Testosterone injections (either Testosterone enanthate or testosterone cypionate or Nebido; combine in one), and 2) Testosterone gels (either Testogel 1% or Tostran 2% testosterone gel; combine in one) 

* Oestrogen receptor modulator: 3) Raloxifene 

* Progestin: 4) Desogestrel 

Please provide these data to show total number of  

A) All biological females by age bands above receiving this medication in England the 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years (running from April to March as normal in government) and for the same years 

B) All biological females by age bands above in South-East of England only,  

C) All biological females by age bands above in Brighton and Hove, and 
 
D) All biological females by age bands above who received the related prescription from WellBN, 18-19 Western Road, Brighton BN3 1AE. </i>
  
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 11 February 2026 
 
We requested clarification on 26 February 2026: 
 
<i>I am writing to ask you to clarify your request. This is because we need further details from you in order to identify and locate the information. 
 
Therefore I would be grateful if you would clarify the following: 
 
1.	What age bands do you require? (We usually default to 5 or 10 year bands). 

2.	Please list the medications you would like included in hormone related medicine.  

Do you have specific presentations in mind (please list them if so) or a BNF Chapter or Section that you would want included?  
 
The following link shows the current BNF structure - filtering can narrow the search down (for example BNF Section 0604 contains presentations concerned with Sex Hormones whilst BNF Section 0803 contains presentations concerned with Sex hormones and hormone antagonists in malignant disease 
 
https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/bnf-code-information-current-year/resource/e69fd607-5832-4997-9d61-548f3e0f7dfd  
  
We require the specific definition of what you consider a hormone related medicine to be able to proceed with the request. 
  
Please note, we will supply the data requested by Country (England), Region (South East) and by the Sub Integrated Care Board (ICB) locations NHS Sussex ICB - 09D (used to be Brighton and Hove CCG) and for WellBN.  
  
The gender we hold is Patient gender that has been reported using the latest patient gender information held by the NHSBSA Information Services data warehouse at the time that the data was extracted. This uses information from either the most recent Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) message or from the last time that NHSBSA received data about the patient's gender from NHS Personal Demographics Service.</i>
 
You responded on 23 March 2026: 
 
<i>1) What age bands do you require? (We usually default to 5- or 10-year bands). 
 
As specified below (due to legal age 18), I would like to understand how many in the 0-18 age band, 18-20, 20-24, 25-30, 30-40 and 40+ are receiving the medication.   
If you cannot provide the data in these specific age brackets, take 5-year bands as you describe above: 0-9, 11-14, 15-19, 20-24, 24-29, 30-39, 40+. 
 
2) Please list the medications you would like included in hormone related medicine. 
 
Thank you, it was helpful to review the BNF as it makes it much easier for you to handle my request.  Rather than the specific medications (which again have multiple presentation codes, etc.), it should be much easier to create the following figures: 
The total number of biological males (based on the NHS information sex recorded at birth; age bands above; during 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years) prescribed by the NHS in England  
 
* Total biological males with any medication in BNF_PARAGRAPH “Female sex hormones and their modulators” (as a subgroup of BNF_CHAPTER “Endocrine System” and BNF_SECTION “Sex Hormones” 
 
* Total biological males with any medication in BNF_PARAGRAPH “Male sex hormones and their modulators” (as a subgroup of BNF_CHAPTER “Endocrine System” and BNF_SECTION “Sex Hormones” 
 
* Total biological males with any medication in BNF_PARAGRAPH “Hormone antagonists” (as a subgroup of BNF_CHAPTER “Malignant Disease and Immunosuppression” and BNF_SECTION “Sex hormones and hormone antagonists in malignant disease” 
 
The total number of biological females (based on the NHS information sex recorded at birth; age bands above; during 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years) prescribed by the NHS in England  
 
* any medication in BNF_PARAGRAPH “Male sex hormones and their modulators” (as a subgroup of BNF_CHAPTER “Endocrine System” and BNF_SECTION “Sex Hormones” 
 
* any medication in BNF_PARAGRAPH “Female sex hormones and their modulators” (as a subgroup of BNF_CHAPTER “Endocrine System” and BNF_SECTION “Sex Hormones”; and as a separate figure 
 
* Total biological males with any medication in BNF_PARAGRAPH “Hormone antagonists” (as a subgroup of BNF_CHAPTER “Malignant Disease and Immunosuppression” and BNF_SECTION “Sex hormones and hormone antagonists in malignant disease” 
 
Note that while BNF Paragraphs (within the 15-digit BNF code, characters 5 and 6) refer to the grouping of drugs by specific therapeutic, pharmacological, or clinical indication, I request the total number of prescriptions in these classifications, including off-label.  For example, hormone antagonists (e.g. Leuprorelin or Triptorelin), which approved for Advanced Prostate Cancer or Early Puberty are also used for “Gender Affirming Care” (off-label) – I would like to have the total.  
 
As said, these figures should be provided for 
 
Geography

* London and the South-East of England  
 
* Brighton and Hove Residents 
 
* Individuals who received the related prescription from WellBN, 18-19 Western Road, Brighton BN3 1AE. 
 
Time: 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years (April to March as normal in government)  
 
Disclosure thresholds: Rounded to nearest 10, with suppressions where under 10, but non-zero indicated 
 
I note that the “gender” data you are going to provide are not accurate for biological sex; I would like to have data on “sex at birth”. 
 
If you don’t hold this data, I will use the “gender” data for now to obtain the prescription data from this FOIA request.  However, this is not “biological male” or “biological female”, and I will request these data in a subsequent request.  I would appreciate if you could further advise where such data are being held.</i>
 
 We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.

##Our response

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested and a copy of the information is attached.  
  
Please read the below notes to ensure correct understanding of the data. 
 
Please be aware that I have decided not to release the exact number of patients, where the number is fewer than 5. This is because the individuals could be identified, when combined with other information that may be in the public domain or reasonably available. 
 
This information falls under the exemption in section 40 subsections 2 and 3A (a) of the Freedom of Information Act. 
 
This is because it would breach the first data protection principle as: 
 
a. it is not fair to disclose claimant personal details to the world and is likely to cause damage or distress. 
b. these details are not of sufficient interest to the public to warrant an intrusion into the privacy of the patients. 
 
Please click the below web link to see the exemption in full. 
 
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/40 
 
##Breach of Patient confidentiality 
 
Please note that the identification of patients is also a breach of the common law duty of confidence.  A patient who has been identified could make a claim against the NHSBSA for the disclosure of the confidential information. 
 
The information requested is therefore being withheld as it falls under the exemption in section 41(1) ‘Information provided in confidence’ of the Freedom of Information Act.  
 
Please click the below web link to see the exemption in full. 
 
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/41 
 
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:  
April 2021-March 2025. Data is aggregated by financial year. 
 
##Data:  
The data indicates the number of items prescribed to patients of medication within the following BNF Paragraphs- Female sex hormones and their modulators (060401), Male sex hormones and antagonists (060402) and Hormone antagonists (080304). 
 
A Unique Patient Count of patients prescribed medication within the three paragraphs is also provided. The data is also aggregated by gender and age band (as defined in the below caveats). 
 
The data provided covers prescribing that has been dispensed to patients within a community setting. Please note that we do not hold data on off label prescribing, nor the medical conditions that prescriptions have been prescribed for. 
 
The data for this FOI is presented in three parts, each covering the above prescribing for a different regional geography; 
 
FOI_03599_P1- shows data for prescribing within the London (Y56) and South East (Y59) NHS Commissioning regions. 
 
FOI_03599_P2- shows data for prescribing within the Sub-Integrated Care Board location of NHS Sussex- 09D (formerly known as NHS Brighton and Hove CCG) 
 
FOI_03599_P3- shows data for prescribing by WellBN Healthcare GP Practice (G81638) 
 
##BNF Code: 
The BNF Code is a 15-digit code in which the first seven digits are allocated according to the categories in the BNF, and the last 8 digits represent the medicinal product, form, strength and the link to the generic equivalent product. NHS Prescription Services has created pseudo BNF chapters, which are not published, for items not included in BNF chapters 1 to 15. Most of these items are dressings and appliances which NHS Prescription Services has classified into four pseudo BNF chapters (20 to 23). 
 
##Gender 
Patient gender has been reported using the latest patient gender information held by the NHSBSA Information Services data warehouse at the time that the data was extracted. This uses information from either the most recent Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) message or from the last time that NHSBSA received data about the patient's gender from NHS Personal Demographics Service.     

Please note that gender data based on the patient’s gender at birth is not held by the NHSBSA. 

Gender is either: Male, Female, Not Known (where no information is held) or Indeterminate (where information is held which does not confirm either Male or Female).   
 
##Patient Identification
Where patient identifiable figures have been reported they are based on the information captured during the prescription processing activities.  Please note, patient details cannot be captured from every prescription form and based on the criteria used for this analysis, patient information (age, gender and NHS number) was only available for 99.2% of prescription items.  
 
The patient count figures are based on a distinct count of NHS number as captured from the prescription image.  
 
Patient ages are based on the age as captured from the prescription image and relates to the patient's age at the time of prescribing/dispensing.  Results are presented by age band (Under 18, 18-20, 21-24, 25-29, 30-39, 40+). Please note it is possible that a single patient may be included in the results for more than one age band where a patient has received prescribing at different ages during a financial year.  
 
The figures for the number of identifiable patients should not be combined and reported at any other level than provided as this may result in the double-counting of patients.  For example, a single patient could appear in the results for multiple financial years, age bands and ICBs.  
 
##Items: 
Shows the number of times a product appears on a prescription form not the quantity prescribed. 
  
##Data Queries  
  
Please contact <a href="mailto: foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk">foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk</a> 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 <a href="mailto: communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk">communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk</a>. 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 2026”. 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: NHS Presciption Services
Organization: Freedom of Information Disclosure Log