FOI-01255

Thank you for your request for information about the following:

Dataset request: Part IX of the UK Drug Tariff split into the following DT segments - IXA: Advanced Wound Care and Appliances, IXB: Incontinence and IXC: Ostomy Care.

The NHS BSA have published a number of datasets including PCA , EPD, and SCDM datasets.
However I am unable to find datasets for the following:

1 - Part IX Drug Tariff datasets - dispensed by appliance contractor name and postcode.

2 - Part IX Drug Tariff datasets - items dispensed with an Acute Sector environment - i.e. by NHS England hospitals, NHS Foundation Trusts, or even by ICBs

Hope you can support as understanding prescribing habits in the UK can assist tremendously with ensuring optimum stock levels to meet the demands for patient safety and patient choice.

Time period: 01/01/2022-31/05/2023

You clarified your request with the following:

Point 1 - I am referring to Part 9 of the UK Drug Tariff – Medical Devices which is split into 4 sections Part IX (roman numbering) A – Wound Care & Appliances, Part IX B – Incontinence Care, Part IX C – Stoma Care and Part IX R – Diagnostics for monitoring diabetes.

Point 2 - As advised previously, the NHS now publishes several data sets – Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) and English Prescribing Data (EPD); the latter includes prescription data from the devolved nations.

Point 3 - My request is not for a dataset addressed in Point 2 above, albeit for Medical Devices dispensed by Dispensing Appliance Contractors (DAC). EPD partly addresses this request as there is a field “Dispenser Type” albeit it does not specify dispenser name / dispenser code. It is provided at postcode level.

Point 4 - My second request is for a separate dataset, of which Secondary Care Data Medicines (SCDM) data published by NHS Digital only provides visibility of stock dispensed by NHS pharmacies within the ICB and sub-ICB locations. 

Point 5 - I may be wrong but does the SCDM dataset detailed in Point 4 above, capture all medicines dispensed within the NHS location site including ward level. If so, then my request has been answered, else I would still like this FOI request to be remain open / active.

I would ideally like the dataset to be split by calendar months as it would be good to see the prescribing trend for the individual product lines.

As this dataset is for medicines dispensed within a Secondary care setting (Hospitals, NHS trusts etc..), the products will not be identified by the UK drug tariff.

I understand that within Secondary Care, products are classified by their BNF (British National Formulary) code. Hence for equivalent of Part 9 of the Drug Tariff (Medical Devices), the BNF codes will begin as follows:

20xxx - dressings
21xxx - appliances
22xxx - incontinence 
23xxx - stoma care and
060106xxx - diagnostics products used to monitor diabetes

When we informed you that we do not hold secondary care data, your request was modified as follows:

3 - Would you be able to advise why the NHS does not hold secondary care data dispensed within a Hospital / NHS Trust and/or ICB environment?

4 - How do you then monitor spend for medicines and product categories?

For items dispensed in the community, I already now have access to PCA and EPD data via your NHS Open Data portal.

5 - Thanks for your feedback however can you give me a steer as to which government institution is collating medicine spend within hospitals? How can the NHS define what has been spent on let's say "Advanced Wound Care" in 2022 if the data is not being captured / collated?

Your clarified request was received on 6 July 2023 and has been dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

##Response

###Questions 1, 2, 4, and 5:

###PCA data
Pharmacy contractors can dispense appliances and this is available in the PCA data split down to ICB level by type of account. Under Section 21 of the Act, 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 from web link:

https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/prescription-cost-analysis-pca-monthly-data

###Secondary care 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 NHS Business Services Authority. The authority does not record information on drugs dispensed and used in secondary care settings such as hospitals. The Secondary Care Medicines Data, in the Open Data Portal, is the only data we have which we host from NHSE. Please refer to the guidance document.
https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/secondary-care-medicines-data 

If you cannot find what you are looking for on the ODP, it is possible that NHS England may hold some or all of the information you require. They can be contacted at:

NHS England

PO Box 16738

Redditch

B97 9PT

Telephone 0300 311 22 33

Email: england.contactus@nhs.net  

Web http://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/foi/

Alternatively individual Hospital Trusts or ICBs may hold the information. The following web link takes you to a directory of Hospital Trusts and ICBs:

http://www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/pages/acutetrustlisting.aspx 
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/find-your-local-integrated-care-board/ 

###Question 3:
This question does not fall under the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The FOIA covers information which is held by a public authority. The FOIA does not cover information that is in someone’s head. A public authority does not have to create new information or find the answer to a question from staff who may happen to know it. For more information, please see the ICO's website - https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/foi-eir-and-access-to-information/guide-to-freedom-of-information/what-is-the-foi-act/ 

If you have any queries regarding the data provided, or if you plan on publishing the data, please contact foidata@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

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:
“NHSBSA Copyright 2023” This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ 

Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

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Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.

Tags: No information held, secondary care medicines data
Organization: Freedom of Information Disclosure Log