FOI-03886

##Request

You asked us:

<i>Detailing the dispenser code(s) and prescriber code(s) with the following restrictions

1. Only for BNF code starting 2128

2. Only for the first prescription issued to a patient who have never received a prescription for any of these items.

3. As we feel that the chances of a patient having both a paper and EPS in the same month is remote the level of detail we require is the month of dispensing.

We would be looking for all available months from February 2026 to most available month broken by months.

Could we also request the same data without the restrictions 2/3 above from February 2026 to most available month broken by months.</i>

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 8 June 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	
The data source was the NHSBSA Information Services Data Warehouse.
 
##Files
Two files are provided:
FOI03886_QUESTION_1 is restricted to the first prescription issued to a patient who have never received a prescription for any of the requested items.<br>
FOI03886_QUESTION_2 is all dispensing for these items. 
 
##Time Period	
All prescribing from April 2015 – March 2026 was used to find prior prescribing, with first prescribing data from February or March 2026.
 
##Organisation Data	
The data is for prescriptions dispensed in the community in England. 
 
##Drugs and appliances
Limited to BNF Codes beginning with 2128, Anal Irrigation System.
For the question 1 file, the NHSBSA does not hold data showing a patient’s first prescribing of a given drug. This has been calculated by excluding all patients with prescribing in BNF Codes beginning with 2128 in the Data Warehouse during the 'prior prescribing' period given above. Patients first prescribing has been found using the prescribed date recorded on a prescription. If this has not been captured during processing (usually on a paper prescription) then the end of the month the prescription was claimed to be dispensed in is used. For a further tie break the first prescription is chosen by prescriber, then dispenser, then drug/appliance. From this first prescribing the prescriber, dispenser and drug are shown.
 
##Identified Patients
Prescriptions are only included in the data if an NHS number was captured during processing so patients with prescribing prior to the 'first prescribing' period given above can be excluded. 
For the whole period, 96.78% of items on prescriptions within the limits of the dataset had an identified patient.
 
##Exclusions
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.

##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: “Data Warehouse, 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