FOI-03630

##Request

You asked us:

_On the NHSBSA website you provide Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) Monthly Administrative Data (https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/prescription-cost-analysis-pca-monthly-data). This data, however, only splits the detail between Pharmacy Contractors and Appliance Contractors as aggregated figures. We are interested in the data for each Appliance Contractor separately._
 
_We do not need all of the fields within this dataset, the fields we are interested in are below:_

_BNF PRESENTATION CODE_

_BNF PRESENTATION_

_SUPPLIER NAME_

_BNF SECTION CODE_

_BNF SECTION_

_BNF CHAPTER CODE_

_BNF CHAPTER_

_TOTAL QUANTITY_

_NET INGREDIENT COST GBP_
 
_We are only interested in BNF Chapters 21, 22 and 23._
_For this request, we are only looking for data for 1st October 2025 - 31st December 2025._

_This is a repeat of FOI-03105 and FOI-03403._

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 24 February 2026.

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.

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: 
Monthly data from October 2025 to December 2025.
 
###Organisation Data: 
The data is for prescriptions dispensed by Appliance Contractors in the community in England.
 
A date with the letter 'C' in brackets - example (C 02-Jan-26) next to a contractor indicates that this organisation is closed or will close as of the date stated. 
 
###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 such items are dressings and appliances which NHS Prescription Services has classified into four pseudo BNF chapters (20 to 23).
 
###Data: 
This dataset is limited to the dispensing of products within BNF chapter 21 Appliances, chapter 22 Incontinence appliances and chapter 23 Stoma appliances at presentation level.
 
###Total quantity: 
Total quantity is the number of items multiplied by the quantity prescribed. 
e.g. 2 items prescribed, one with a quantity of 2 and one with a quantity of 3, the total quantity would show as 5 (1 item x quantity of 2) + (1 item x quantity of 3)
 
###Net Ingredient Cost (£):
Net Ingredient cost (NIC) is the basic price of an appliance as stated in Part II Clause 8 of the Drug Tariff.

##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 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: BNF, NHS Prescription Services, Prescription Cost Analysis
Organization: Freedom of Information Disclosure Log